Depression

[Protoclown]

Vibecrew, once again I am impressed by your attitude. I really have a great deal of respect for you and the fact that you overcame so many difficulties as you were growing up.

One trend that disturbs me is when people seem to be PROUD of their mental disorders. I have a friend who will gladly go down the list of all the mental disorders he has had and still has, as if each one is a seperate badge of honor to be displayed with pride. I could never understand that mentality, or how or why it's created. I guess perhaps it comes with the territory of going through therapy and having every single "disorder" or problem labeled. The names give sometimes ordinary, relatively normal things a distorted sense of importance.

I think perhaps people who do that also do it so they can throw out any of their disorders as an excuse for their behavior, so they don't have to be responsible for their actions. This particular friend is the WORST alcoholic I have ever known, and his inconsiderate drunken behavior has driven away nearly all my other friends who will no longer associate with this guy in any capacity. He makes no apologies, he merely states that his drinking problem is a part of who he is, and if you don't accept that, you don't accept him. I have told him that what he says is total bullshit, but it's like talking to a brick wall with this guy. Basically he thinks he can act like a complete asshole whenever he wants and then it's "HEY! You can't blame ME! I'm an alcoholic!" or "I'm depressed" or whatever.

I have tried making an effort to help this guy with his drinking problem, but I've since given up. At one point I felt like it was my duty as a friend, but I've done MORE than my duty as a friend, I've put up with more than I should ever have had to from someone I CALL a friend, and nothing I said or did ever made a difference in the least. I now realize there's only so much I can do, and HE has to be the one to want to change before anything can happen. It sounds shitty and I hate to feel like I'm abandoning him, but I am NOT going to let him fuck up my life with his problems that he could solve for himself if he had the slightest bit of willpower whatsoever.