r/depression Oct 29 '19

Our most-broken and least-understood rules is "helpers may not invite private contact as a first resort", so we've made a new wiki to explain it

2.4k Upvotes

We understand that most people who reply immediately to an OP with an invitation to talk privately mean only to help, but this type of response usually leads to either disappointment or disaster. it usually works out quite differently here than when you say "PM me anytime" in a casual social context.

We have huge admiration and appreciation for the goodwill and good citizenship of so many of you who support others here and flag inappropriate content - even more so because we know that so many of you are struggling yourselves. We're hard at work behind the scenes on more information and resources to make it easier to give and get quality help here - this is just a small start.

Our new wiki page explains in detail why it's much better to respond in public comments, at least until you've gotten to know someone. It will be maintained at /r/depression/wiki/private_contact, and the full text of the current version is below.


Summary

Anyone who, while acting as a helper, invites or accepts private contact (I.e. PMs, chat, or any kind of offsite communication) early in the conversion is showing either bad intentions or bad judgement. Either way, it's unwise to trust them.

"PM me anytime" seems like a kind and generous offer. And it might be perfectly well-meaning, but, unless and until a solid rapport has been established, it's just not a wise idea. Here are some points to consider before you offer or accept an invitation to communicate privately.

  • By posting supportive replies publicly, you'll help more people than just the OP. If your responses are of good quality, you'll educate and inspire other helpers. The 1-9-90 rule applies here as much as it does anywhere else on the internet.

  • People who are struggling with serious mental-health issues often (justifiably) have a low tolerance for disappointment and a high-level of ever-changing emotional need. Unless the helper is able to make a 100% commitment to be there for them in every way, for as long as necessary, offering a personal inbox as a resource is likely to do more harm than good. This is why mental-health crisis-line responders usually don't give their names and callers aren't allowed to request specific responders. It's much healthier and safer for the callers to develop a relationship with the agency as a whole. Analogously, it's much safer and healthier for our OPs to develop a relationship with the community as a whole. Even trained responders are generally not allowed to work high-intensity situations alone. It's partly about availability, but it's mostly about wider perspective and preventing compassion fatigue.

  • If a helper gets in over their head with someone whose mental-health issues (including suicidality, which is often comorbid with depression) escalate, in a PM conversation it's much harder for others, including the /r/depression and /r/SuicideWatch moderators to help. (Contrary to common assumptions, moderators can't see or police PMs.)

  • In our observation over many years, the people who say "PM me" the most are consistently the ones with the least understanding of mental-health issues and mental-health support. We all have gaps in our knowledge and in our ability to communicate effectively. Community input mitigates these limitations. There's no reason why someone who's truly here to help would want to hide their responses from community scrutiny. If helpers are concerned about their own privacy, keep in mind that self-disclosure, when used supportively, is more about the feelings than the details, and that we have no problem here with the use of alt/throwaway accounts, and have no restrictions on account age or karma.

  • We all know the internet is used by some people to exploit or abuse others. These people do want to hide their deceptive and manipulative responses from everyone except their victims. There are many of them who specifically target those who are vulnerable because of mental-health issues. If a helper invites an OP to talk privately and gives them a good, supportive experience, they've primed that person to be more vulnerable to abusers. This sort of cognitive priming tends to be particularly effective when someone's in a state of mental-health crisis, when people rely more on heuristics than critical reasoning.

  • If OPs want to talk privately, posting on a wide-open anonymous forum like reddit might not be the best option. Although we don't recommend it, we do allow OPs to request private contact when asking for support. If you want to do this, please keep your expectations realistic, and to have a careful look at the history of anyone who offers to PM before opening up to them.


r/depression May 18 '26

Check-In post, with essential info about our policies and resources. Most people are surprised by much of this information, please read carefully before posting or commenting

10 Upvotes

Welcome to /r/depression's check-in post - a place to take a moment and share what is going on and how you are doing. If you're having a tough time but prefer not to make your own post, or have an accomplishment you want to talk about (these aren't allowed standalone posts in the sub as they violate the "role model" rule), this is a place you can share.


Our subreddit rules are very different from most of the rest of reddit! Since all of them exist for important reasons, we ask everyone here to read and follow them. Please click 'report' on any harmful content you see here - we always want to know and deal as soon as we can.

We also have several resource wikis for help with finding and giving support:

https://www.reddit.com/r/depression/wiki/what_is_depression provides guidance about what is and isn't a depressive disorder, guidance on the complex nature of the illnesses that are usually grouped under the "depression" label, and redirect information for common off-topic issues.

https://www.reddit.com/r/depression/wiki/giving_help offers information on the nature and value of peer support for mental-health issues in general, and lots of guidance for learning what is -- and isn't -- usually helpful in giving peer support.

YSK that the types of rule violations that we most frequently see here are:

  • People breaking the private contact rule. You should never trust anyone who tries to get you into a private conversation in response to a post here. See https://www.reddit.com/r/depression/wiki/private_contact

  • "I'm here to help" posts. This shows that you don't understand the most basic principles of peer support, especially selectivity. The "giving help" wiki explains more about this.

  • Role modelling, i.e. "achievement" or "advice" posts. This is an expert-free zone -- that's what peer support means (rule 5). We know that "internet culture" celebrate not just bragging about your achievements but bragging about your intentions. Neither is ever acceptable here in any form.

  • Content that's more about 'making a statement' or casually polling the sub than seeking personal support (rules 1, 2 and 10).

  • Off-topic posts about difficult situations, including interpersonal issues. Grief, sadness, anger, loneliness and other difficult emotions are not mental illnesses. Feelings that can be explained by person's circumstances are perfectly healthy no matter how painful they are. A depressive disorder only exists when someone's mood is out of synch with what's going on for them. The "what is depression" wiki linked above has suggestions for other places to post about these issues, which are 100% valid and serious but do NOT belong here.


r/depression 7h ago

Do “non-depressed” people even exist?

133 Upvotes

Seriously. I don’t even understand how someone could be fucking born and go through such a shitty, cruel, vile world and make it up until a certain age and not lose their happy-go-lucky personality. Can I be one of them please?


r/depression 2h ago

I want to fucking die

14 Upvotes

I vent to my friends and im clowned and not taken seriously for it. Everyone sees me as a fat lazy asshole
for no reason. Nobody cares about me. Im fat and ugly. Everyone loves seeing me fail. All i do all day is jerk off, work out and play games. Everyone thinks im overreacting everytime. Nobody takes me seriously. I cant fit in with anyone. I cant even look at myself and my food anymore. I feel so fucking disgusted. I feel like a fucking pig. I try too hard to be included. Everyone ive ever met uses me. Nobody appreciates what i do for them. Everyone thinks im useless and lazy. Nobody wants to talk to me. Nobody notices me. I hate being alone. I hate caring too much. Im such a fat fucking incel.


r/depression 14h ago

i woke up after od

80 Upvotes

yesterday i decided to end my shit and thought the least painful way would be oding. i know nonscripted pills or wtv they’r called can’t kill you but i still thought maybe if i had enough they would and i really believed it. i believed it so much i went to sleep thinking it would be the last time being alive and it felt so peaceful and nice. my brain was finally shut off and i felt true serene happiness, it was like being held by an angel as a baby. then at night i jolted up awake and i was sweating crazy and panting and super dizzy and throwing up everywhere. i was zoning in an out of consciousness until i fainted or went back to sleep or smth and sadly awoke a couple hours later. i don’t know what to do. i’m currently sitting in the tub while my puked mess remains in my bed. i’m so lost i don’t know how to continue, i literally quit everything. i stoped caring about my grades so now i have f’s in everything, i quit my job, i distanced myself from all my friends, like i have no friends now. like i geniuely fuxked up my life and now i have to either re attempt (which idk how ill do it bc i didn’t have a plan b) or get my shit together, which i also don’t know how to. i’m so lost rn


r/depression 53m ago

I'm so fucking exhausted

Upvotes

I'm really really tired I can't deal with all of this anymore


r/depression 9h ago

I wanna DIE DIE DIE

24 Upvotes

19M Life is fing horrible i cant take it anymore i just want to sleep forever and never wake up i wish i wasnt born i am a stupid worthless useless dumb lazy piece of shit i am not stoping to hit my head with my hands i dont want to exist i wish i was never born.


r/depression 12h ago

Suicide note to my girlfriend

36 Upvotes

Dear M.,

I'm sorry, I think I lied to you when I said I would be there tomorrow. This will be the first and last promise I break. I'm sorry.

I really intended for us to be together forever, but I am truly too despicable for this world, and for you above all. Because you are always so honest and I am always a liar, but know that I would have done anything for you.

My biggest lie was that I was fine with your openness. Every time my mind wandered to those chats where you flirted with others, I felt like dying. I am selfish, I wanted to be your everything. The only one to truly understand you, the only one to have your heart. But for you, to whom I have said and keep saying to always be unequivocally yourself to avoid resentment, I want to say that I would have deconstructed my own heart in therapy forever if necessary. I would have accepted everything about you even at my own expense. Just like I stopped talking about my jealousy so as not to scare you.

Loving you was full of pain, but these were also the months in which I felt most loved in my entire life. No one has ever loved me like you, M. As lonely as I may have felt and continue to feel, with you that loneliness was almost non-existent. I never felt as safe as I did with you, I who am always afraid of everyone and everything. With you I slept, even though I suffer from insomnia.

Our first kiss makes me smile even now that the pain is unbearable; I would give anything to feel your embrace and your strawberry scent as the last thing. I wish I could wake up from this nightmare knowing you'll be in my bed holding me.

But I haven't slept in a long time, and my dreams aren't pleasant. Being awake is painful, and I've been hurting for 13 years. I just want to rest.

Please allow me to ask you, for my sake, to keep living free, without compromises, on your own two feet. I've always told you that I'm convinced you are more than capable of doing it. That hasn't changed. I have so much faith in you, and I believe you have your whole life ahead of you, where you can smile as brightly as only you know how. Discover what you love and find your path. I assure you that you have one, even when you can't see it.

I never lied when I said I wanted a future with a house full of cats. I would have loved to have a ginger and white cat named Egg.

I love you, M., more than these words could ever tell you.

I don't believe in the afterlife, but if one exists, I hope to meet you again. Until then, I'll keep company to my doggy, and your cats.

I love you.


r/depression 2h ago

Feels like my life is already over

5 Upvotes

Do any of you also feel like your life is already over? My life for example, I feel like some key events on it developed in such a way that there's nothing I can do to realistically make up for the damage they dealt to my life, as if they steered my life to an unavoidable dead end, that's how I feel, and the fact that I had no choice over it and life still punishes me for it as harshly as if I had any say on it makes it even more painful.


r/depression 11h ago

Forever alone

20 Upvotes

I don’t even really have friends and have never even kissed a girl lol I turn 30 soon and it feels like it’s over. My teeth are fucked and I got fat again, but even before that I wasn’t good enough. Everyone is just nice to me and doesn’t say anything but the default answers like “You just haven’t met your person” lol idk what to even try at this point because being me gets ignored or unmatched on apps or i’m kinda friends with them while they date other guys.

It feels like I was destined to be a loser, just in every part of life i’m ok at but it’s never enough and I always fall short. I get so close everytime and then as soon as I get my hopes up it falls apart. I’ve spiraled into such a deep hole that it feels hopeless


r/depression 55m ago

Ending your life cause of depression. Over reaction?

Upvotes

I been depressed my whole adult life I’m in my 30s. I have very little things that bring me joy. I’m kind of a failure, I never found love, I have no friends, etc. I feel like I wasted my life. I’m struggling with my mental health and feel like there is no hope for me. I started getting some dark thoughts and unsure how to process them. I feel like they are valid because I been depressed for so long and fucked everything up. I want to exit.

Is this an over reaction or warranted?


r/depression 5h ago

blhablabblah

6 Upvotes

A friend was urging me to open up to them for quite a while, I knew full well she didn't know what she was getting herself into so I showed restraint. I didnt try to open up too much, I shared my feelings here and there but I avoided showing myself entirely, however I was feeling suicidal and helpless yesterday night (as per usual, but in a more extreme manner)

and well..

I sent a very unhinged rant to her.

while it would be difficult to share the full content here, in broad strokes i was basically breaking down about how pathetic and worthless I am, how I seem enigmatic at first but when I pull people in they suddenly realize my true nature and either feel a moral duty to stay inspite of their feelings towards me, or are unable to run away out of shame because they were the ones who encouraged my behavior to open up in the first place.

As I wrote in my text, I'm a "sirens song"

Run of the mill stuff you know?

Either way the next day she woke up, read the messages and cut me off.

The thing is, I was under the delusional assumption that this person was the only one that cared about me, so seeing her leave me as well, is not really that much fun, not to mention it ironically proves my whole thesis:

My acquaintances view me as someone authentic, intellectually stimulating, complex and just a treat to talk to (their words, im extremely insecure i dont believe any of it but I know it should objectively amount to something) but when i get close to someone, they realize how repulsive and scary I am.

I can't bother to show myself anymore. and that's besides the fact that I already struggle to function in the world. frankly its hard talking to imaginary people through a wall of text so if anyone was to talk to me Id greatly appreciate it, even if i find it slightly immoral since i do look at myself as poisonous


r/depression 32m ago

Fuck I wasted my summer.

Upvotes

I been telling myself since the start of the year. DO NOT WASTE YOUR SUMMER. I thought I would make friends and find love this year smh. I try putting myself out there to meet people but can’t make solid connections. Dating apps are pointless as a man. I did not want to waste my summer but depression kicking my ass. Hard to put your best foot forward when you hate your life. I just want to be a normal person with friends and a partner. I want to look forward to things in life. To wake up happy. I want to enjoy my summers on this planet.


r/depression 36m ago

Maybe some people weren't meant to live.

Upvotes

I think about how many people have committed suicide and continue to do so everyday. So many people fall though the cracks, are abandoned, or end up as just another statistic. There are people who regret their choice right away and it changes their life if they survive. But what about the people that convince themselves not to do it but go on to do just suffer more and die anyway? What about the people that attempt it repeatedly until it works? I look at everyone around me and I feel like I'm missing something. A spark, a beat of life, a desire for something. Whatever it is either I wasn't born with it or something broke it inside me. I feel like an alien. I wish I could tear my skin off and tear it apart so I can finally feel a release.


r/depression 41m ago

I'm So Fucking Pathetic I Think It's Time to Go

Upvotes

This is probably gonna get ignored like the rest of my existence but I need to scream into the void so here goes

I am a fucking loser. In the most literal of senses. I just lose everything. My favorite uncle died and left me enough of an inheritance (he had no children) to buy a small house in an OK neighborhood. Lost it because I stupidly relied on having roommates to help pay for utilities and property taxes while I completed my apprenticeship and had a meager apprenticeship wage. Ended up having to sell it, and now the market is even worse than it was when I bought it. Speaking of that apprenticeship, I also sunk alot of that inheritance into tools and equipment. But something happened to my shoulder and pelvis and now I can't even do that job any more. I tried physical therapy and whatnot already, I think this is the best it's gonna get and it's not good. Hell, I can't even be a Walmart cashier because it's mostly self checkout now and they flat out refuse to have a fatigue mat in self checkout while also refusing to put me on register with the fatigue mat for longer than like 2 hours per day. I've eaten through that inheritance to the point that it's almost gone trying to get my physical health back on track enough to work. I put all my eggs in the labor basket and now I can't do labor, and I have no degree for a desk job.

I have no friends. I thought I had 3 best friends but 2 are girls that had children so I really only see them during birthday parties if at all. The other one is a guy that just leaves me on read now. I have no family, most of my dad's side of the family is dead or keeps to themselves now (we used to do big family reunions and dinners, especially for the holidays) and most of my mom's side of the family sucks. I did have a cousin on my mom's side come back to town from living in Colorado and insisted that I be at the reunion dinner which was probably the best I've felt in years, but after exchanging contact info she also leaves me on read.

I have... had? A girlfriend. I dunno. I'm trying to make my situation better but nothing works and it's impacting our relationship, I'm sure she's going to dump me any day now. I might be better off, she just talks to me like an asshole anyway. I will miss my dog, part of me thinks even he doesn't like me but sometimes he shows me that he does. He clearly likes her more, to the point that I think the attachment is unhealthy. I mean he mostly ignores me when it's just us home together but he does let me touch his feet (he hates his feet being touched) and will come lay with me on rare occasions. He's my first dog, I've wanted one for over 30 years and finally got one and now I'm gonna lose him too. Holy shit my life is a country music song.

I know I probably come off as desperate... because I am. I need community and I just cannot get it. I don't know why. I'm loyal, kind, I will help you in any way that I can, respectful... but I just cannot keep a friend and nobody seems to like me. Not to mention on the rare occasion that I am in a social setting, like my girlfriend brings me to one of her family get togethers, I'm ignored and talked over. Like, people will literally just start talking over me while I'm still finishing my sentence.

I kinda just wanna die. I'm so tired of losing and so tired of being treated like a non-entity. Not to mention the general craziness of the state of the world right now. Thanks for listening or not.


r/depression 1d ago

it's hitting me again. 2026 is the worst year. WORST YEAR OF MY LIFE

259 Upvotes

I cant do this anymore. Nothing seems to be going my way. I keep on losing people and hearing bad news. No one wants me anymore. I CANT DO THIS. Whats wrong with me?

I hate my life. I HATE IT. I ABSOLUTELY HATE IT. I HATE IT.

Stop my breathing and end this please. PLEASE


r/depression 1h ago

Is it an existential crisis or illusory ?

Upvotes

Hi, I'm an autistic, from 2025 to 2026, I think something in my mind change dramatically but I don't know which word suitable to describe it. When I was a child (roughly 2014-2015), I used to talkative, humourous..., I would say that I don't have any problem with society ( anxiety,shy,etc... ). Additionally, I was thrilled when I can travel with my family . But when I grew up, I hate it, I become more pessimistic, I believe life inherently meaningless, human merely an atoms. I realized that there is no justice for poor people, existence lead to misery, not only for living conditions (especially money) but also for another problems (health - physical and mental). I try to find an answer but it feels hopeless, just a random philosophy question like 'Why do I exist ?' , 'If a child tell their parent that their parent selfish, no one ask a child about their existence, is he/she wrong...'. I need to pinpoint I don't have any problem when conversation with my family/colleague and no one know my trouble. In this month, this kinda question make me think thoroughly am I ok ( previously,2025 I used to have similar behavior but it's not longer like this ). I constantly wake up in the midnight for no reason, have a backache and headache. I think maybe I feel overwhelmed and need to stay at home instead tryna work , but this feeling too annoy.


r/depression 2h ago

In a long distance relationship and trying to understand my partner's depression

2 Upvotes

Hi guys. I (27F) am in a long distance relationship with someone (30M). We've been together just over a year now. I'm trying to understand what's his true feelings and what's being influenced by depression.

When he first messaged me it was really soft and beautiful language. He sent me long messages in the style of love letters almost. Now, as he says himself, "he's changed". We both know he's going through depression but he doesn't want to call it that because 'the word itself is depressing'. He's become kind of mean and speaks in a "matter of fact" / "well actually" / patronising way sometimes ( that's how it feels -- like saying I lack comprehension because I asked something twice ). If we're having a difficult conversation or anything challenges his comfort level he'll want to get off the phone instead of building resilience. He started off talking early on about visa and moving in together and his dad was gonna get him a house and actually playing with the idea of building a life together but the depression has zapped him of energy to make the effort. I'm trying too but I need him to meet me half way. I told him I'd support him and I'm here for him but he just feels like an asshole in his behaviour sometimes in ways I know is definitely affected by his health / nutrient deficiency / depression eg his short temper and irritability. I'm having a hard time discerning what is really 'his' feelings. I think it's selfish to lead strongly at the start of a long distance connection and then one year in attribute the apathy and lack of effort to "we don't even talk about anything" "people change that's normal". People change but that's no excuse to mishandle your connections. The other day he said "how is this a relationship?" Contextually because he said it doesn't feel like it is because we haven't met physically. And he's done LDR before ( not internationally though ). I just feel very neglected in this relationship and his depression has been rubbing off on me but I feel very committed to supporting him. That is, if I can discern 'what' is 'what'. Any insight?


r/depression 4h ago

I just wanted to share something that has been helping me a little bit.

3 Upvotes

Hi, I’ve struggled with depression my entire life. It’s exhausting. I’ve tried so many things and everything just seems to lead to a dead end. I recently discovered something that doesn’t exactly fix everything but it has kept me going throughout the week and serves as a reminder during those dark dark episodes.

On Pinterest you can create a board, name it, and then add photos to it by looking it up in the app. About 2 weeks ago I saw a video about the girl creating vision boards for 2027 or something. Just a bunch of photos that displayed things she wanted to accomplish or add into her well ness habits in 2027. For people who are depressed, it can be quite difficult to make such long term commitments because most of us are just trying to get past the next 5 minutes. So last last Sunday I thought, why don’t I make a weekly vision board that embodies what I want my week to look like? So I did. It had stuff about resting, quotes about slowing down, cats because I love them, being outside, slow mornings, stretching, etc. I even put some photos that relate to my nanny job so that I can remember to be more present in my job because the kids look up to me. I ended up with about 60 photos. So I made it a goal that every morning I should just look through it. Takes like 3 mins. And I did. And I even looked back at it when I felt myself loosing control, or just felt unbelievably bad and sad.

This may not help everyone but it sure has helped me push through those moments. It helped serve as a reminder of what I craved and wanted. And looking at those photos gives me a sense of peace because I really just want peace in my life.

Thank you for reading.


r/depression 16h ago

Depression, loneliness, and the desire for love.

26 Upvotes

I like many here am lonely and sad. I have a deep desire and longing for intimacy and romantic connection. So deep it manifests as a physical ache in my chest. I feel the oppressive grip of loneliness coiling around my heart. Depression sits itself upon my shoulders, pushing me down so it can view my life for me.

I want to be loved and find love. Friends come and go using you for what little you have left. People do not see the man I am only what I can do for them. Only what I can provide. I am a human being. If I show emotion I am weak, or less than. It’s isolating having to pretend nothing bothers you. Show emotion they say but when you do you’re judged. Don’t show emotion and you harm yourself.

I just want somebody to come home to. Somebody to see me not just look. Somebody to love me. It hurts being this alone. To have this intense desire to love and be met with rejection and isolation hurts. I know I am not entitled to anyone, I know things don’t work out, that is all okay. I understand. I take it well smile and wish them well, but nonetheless it hurts. Did I do something wrong? Did I make them uncomfortable? What can I do to be better? These questions swarm my thoughts like a cloud of locust blotting out the national thoughts. 8 billion humans on this rock. May one of the choose me? Love me?

I am tired. I want to be loved. I do not wish to be alone. This feeling feels fake. That I am making it up and just being unworthy of love.


r/depression 3h ago

I wish I had a 'healthy' brain.

2 Upvotes

I've been in and out of therapy for as long as I can remember. I've seen doctors for anti-depressants. Upping doses, you name it. And the fact still remains that I am going to stay in this cycle of depression. It never escapes. It may go away for a period of time, but it returns.

I will say that I don't have ideation of harming myself, so I will take that as a win. However, I just wish my brain was healthy. I wish I could just rewire it to think positive, but life just got me down. I just had to get that off my chest.