The Problem with Depression and Social Media

What exactly do you say to someone who continually (or even randomly, in my case) posts or tweets serious statuses on their state of mind or feelings?

Here are a few responses that I've seen to some of these posts:

3. The occasional "It'll get better!!" positive, go-get-em, PSA style friend that, at the end of the day, has only good intentions for you.

2. Jokes. I'm going to make you laugh because you are depressed, which can sometimes work. If I joke with someone like that though, I'll always be sure to follow up with a "I hope things get better for you". It can be refreshing in some cases.

A comedian friend of mine sometimes has these slew of posts that make me worried for him. I hope he's simply ranting, but I do feel his pain, in a way. He could be struggling with depression. Especially when ALL of his comments are jokes from other people:

Status: Looking for a job. Any ideas?

Comments:
"Be a hooker!"

"LOL Yeah, be a hooker! It pays well! Or a stripper!"

Sure. He's a comedian. But ... none of the above is funny, nor is it appropriate. (Which, by the way, is probably one of the more extreme cases, but HAS happened). People avoid the real issues right in front of them and tend to joke at the expense of others because - they don't know what to say. Which brings me to my number one response ....

1. Nothing. Some people choose to say nothing. Which, in the above example, is actually MUCH better. But I feel as though people avoid it because they think everything will REALLY be okay. So instead, they fret over the statuses about a pet being sick or that TV show that everyone watches or what an asshole that guy at work was.

I can't speak for everyone with anxiety/depression, but I will say this -

We don't need your proverbs or prayers (though appreciated). We don't want your jokes or averted eye contact. We need/want genuine, honest people in our lives. Those that will say "Hey, let's go to the movies or grab coffee" or "Hey, I read this great book I think you'd like". Those are the people we want to be around.

It's okay if you don't always know what to say; sometimes I'm not sure what to say/do myself. But sometimes that smile from a stranger or the drink for no reason from a friend can make a day 100% better.

DISCLAIMER: Another curious problem with depression is posts like this - How many of you had the initial reaction of, "OH my God! Is she okay?? What's she going to do??"

Depression issues, bi-polar disorder, anxiety/panic attacks - these are all real things. Real things that people deal with everyday. I am one of those people. It's nothing to be alarmed about; I just choose to speak out about it. I wish more people would.

Harlem Shake

 I did a search on YouTube for the "original Harlem Shake" and this was the first thing that popped up.

-_______-'

Ok.

This was a few posts down:

HELL. YES!

I'm old enough to remember the Harlem Shake - I remember thinking how amazing it was, simply because I was known to sit in class and dance JUST by moving my shoulders. So, of course, this blew my mind. YES. Of course, it's New Yorkers that are bringing it. ;)

I am a dancer. Always will be. No matter how old I get, dance will forever live in my heart.

"My heart beats in eight count/ So you know I'll only be alive 'til it fade out/ While you was strugglin' with two left feet/ I was here becoming one with the beat/ It's the language of the soul, poetry in motion/ Call me Black Swan with the crazy locomotion.." (Nitty Scott MC/Statik Selektah, "Black Swan")

So, you can imagine my attitude toward all of the YouTube trends like Gangnam Style and all of these Harlem Shake videos. Some people are saying it's disrespectful to the original Harlem Shake, which I get completely.

BUT - here's what I see: Ignorance.

I'm not even sure if the majority of these people even REALIZE that there's an original Harlem Shake.

(Psst! You're doing it wrong!)

But that's all I see - ignorance. All these people want is a chance to be a part of the big trend of the month, which I honestly don't get. My own brother was in one of these videos and I had to giggle (he's not much of a dancer). But at the same time, I'm shaking my head like, "WTF IS this noise??"

And do people actually LIKE stuff like Gangnam Style? Because, honestly, it seems like everyone is making fun of this guy making K-Pop music. Maybe I'm wrong (wouldn't be the first time) but it seems like everyone has made a trend out of "copying" dances by making fun of them. Imitation is NOT always the best form of flattery. ;)

Meanwhile, in NYC --

(Shoutout to a project I've been following/backing for a long time - Flex is Kings):

Let me tell you something about some of these people dancing in New York - in Harlem, in BK, wherever - and listen closely, please:

They have something I wish EVERYONE had more of. They have something every dancer, no matter how great their technique is, wishes for every day they have a knee injury or look down at their bloody toes -- They have HEART. The will to keep moving, no matter WHAT the circumstances. Their stories are different; they dance to avoid the violence. Their moves embody everything that the quote above means to me. I would give anything to dance with these men. I tear up just watching the trailer!

They have heart.

They have soul.

They give ME a reason to keep moving, to keep dancing, to keep waking up everyday. It's powerful stuff and I KNOW for a fact not everyone can and will understand how I feel when I watch their bodies tell their stories.

All I can do is smile when I see those YouTube videos. I know true art when I see it. And those trends will die down quickly. But the true artists will continue on.

We have to do better, people. Use your creativity. Look past the trends and see the beauty surrounding you.

Ultimate (but quickly-put-together-without-thinking) Hip Hop Playlist

Happy Valentine's Day, lovers! I haven't posted in awhile, so what better way to celebrate this splendid Hallmark holiday than to listen to Hip Hop?! Yes? Yes??


......


*points to door*

Get out if you don't like it/can't handle it. I'm serious. :)

SO - I was looking through the songs on my playlist and started rearranging some of them in my head (I was a DJ in a past life....) and decided to make it a game: Try to put together a great Hip Hop playlist as quickly as possible, yet still try to make it flow! Some of these I quickly listened to the beginnings/endings of to get a feel (okay, that COULD be considered cheating), but I also ended up with a slight "Crazy, End of the World" title theme toward the end.

Anyway.. Enjoy. I might post all the titles on Twitter as well. Next to some of the listings, I may let you in on why I loved the song listed enough to put it on this list.

1. The Roots - "Double Trouble" (great opening....)

2. Random Axe - "Chewbacca" (again, great opening. For me, the opening bars are key, and then staying strong after, which I believe Random Axe manages to do throughout this whole album, though SOME - nonamesmentioned - may disagree)

3. Notorious B.I.G. - "Running Your Mouth" ("Where BK @?" #NextToQueens "Where BK @?" #NextToQueens "Where BK @?" #GetAMap)

4. Snoop Dogg - "Who Am I (What's My Name)?"

5. N.W.A. - "Chin Check" (Because. I can't think of anything witty, oddly enough. Lol #WhereComptonAt)

6. Mos Def - "Speed Law" (I imagine speeding on a Kawasaki on the freeway. Always. Yasiin Bey!)

7. Mobb Deep - "Shook Ones, Pt. II"

8. Method Man - "Release Yo' Delf" (This man has the ultimate horror scream down pat. My brother can scream like that - I remember him scaring the sh!t outta me growing up, jumping around the corner and doing the "RAAAAHHHGGGGHH!!!!" scream. WTFFFF?!!?!)

9. Busta Rhymes - "We Could Take It Outside"

10. Brother Ali - "Truth Is" (Great GREAT song. Used to play this with a friend back home... actually, this used to be my ringtone.)

11. Keith Murray - "Straight Loonie" ("Biddi-bla-ba-ba-ba, how ya like the Squad now? I'ma come down to represent the juveniles" <--- Love this line/delivery!!!)

12. KRS-One - "Step Into A World (Rapture's Delight)"

13. Killarmy - "Clash of the Titans" (Now we start getting into songs on my Chess playlist)

14.  DOOM - "Gazzillion Ear"

15. DJ Skane ft. RZA - "Why You Lookin At Me?" (This song isn't really well known. It's a different side of RZA that I really like :D)

16. Jean Grae, Pharoahe Monch, and Royce Da 5'9" - "Assassins" (I <3 Jeanie. And this song is a great ending to an awesome playlist!)

---> "They call me Jean McCoy, beast in thee employ
Deploy deplorable, through audible destructive actions, attractive decoy
Then pass it to Troy, after I'm passing your life over

He'll deliver it through river Styx, Hades
I'm cold, deliberate, ladies, my foes limited
Pray me some praise
Stay on your toes, villains, it's Grae and your day's whittling...."

My Valentine to you all is on this page: http://chekit.tumblr.com/post/17629000583/have-a-very-wu-tang-valentines-day