Summary

I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and put on antidepressants. I used my depression as an excuse to be a sad sack of shit and avoid responsibilities. Eventually realized that in order for me to truly get better I needed to stop acting like a victim and man up. Took several steps to improving my lifestyle. A little over a year later, decided to stop taking the pills and I have never felt better.

Body

My junior year in university I was heavily involved in extracurricular activities on campus. I had just lost an election for a club I was very invested in, so I was quite upset when this had happened. I was talking about how upset I was to a female friend who was a psych major (I know, first red flag).

Somehow, me being upset translated into her thinking I was depressed and that I should go see a psychiatrist. Not only that, but to her it was "very brave" of me to recognize my weakness as a man in a time where stigma existed. For some reason I bought into it. I did go see a doctor, and an hour later I had a prescription for SSRI's.

The following 3 months, I let my standards slip. I fucked up academically, stopped working out, ate like shit and started seeing myself engage in conversations with liberal white girls about "Omg isn't so sad the stigma around depression? like I can't even".

Shortly after, I realized that I had lost my balls to my surrounding which kept telling me that it's not my fault and that it's okay not to be okay and use that an excuse to be completely useless. It was around then that I realized unless I made an active effort to switch my life around, I will never feel better.

So I came up with a plan to systematically improve my life. I narrowed down all the aspects in which I was being or treating myself like shit. Eating, Fitness, Financially, Self-Development, and Sexuality.

I completely changed around my diet towards eating lean and clean, I started lifting 3 days/week and swimming 2 nights/week, I downloaded mobile accounting apps so I started monitoring my spending and became more fiscally responsible, decided to pick-up a new language and achieved that, completely cut all ties with my ex/fwb whom was leading me on emotionally.

The results were almost instantaneous. I could sleep better, I felt better, I looked better after working out for just two weeks, I felt better, and my brain felt more stimulated again. A feeling I hadn't had for the past two months of being a victim.

Fast forward a year of active self-improvement, I decided to completely stop taking the antidepressant after having slowly decreased the dosage to avoid a withdrawal (this was actually monitored by a physician).

Now, I am in better shape than I've ever been, I have recently graduated university and will be starting my ideal career path within the next month, and most importantly, I love myself, I am so content with who I am because I feel proud of the results of my work.

Lesson Learned

In this day and age, society is so eager to see men in states of weakness, it is extremely satisfying for SJWs and feminists. To the point that if they can get you feeling like a victim, they will make sure you stay in that sad passive state of mind. You have to work for yourself and with yourself if you really want to become someone worthwhile. It is incredibly pathetic how people who rely on their weakness to get through life are celebrated and are actively discouraged from taking responsibility for their own misery.

**To clear things up: I am a believer in mental health and mental illnesses, and I have a lot of sympathy for patients of these areas. However, I also do believe that, just like any other type of illness, you need to show active effort to get better instead of just expecting the world to bow at your feet and make things easier and more accessible for you.