A letter issued on Monday from top HHS officials details to providers the goal to reduce antidepressant use and encourages the use of non-medication options for treating depression, including psychotherapy, diet, physical activity and social connection
Essentially, “eat healthier, exercise, get more friends, and also somehow find a way to afford therapy” 💀
It’s not like those things can never improve your mood, but at the end of the day a lot of people on antidepressants are either already trying these things, or won’t have their extremely bad situation improved by them, especially given a lot of it is around financial stress, and all of these take money. (healthier food costs more, exercise past stuff like jogging requires either buying your own weights or paying for a gym membership, most activities with friends cost money since third spaces are dying, and therapy is hella expensive)
Plus, depression makes it harder for a person to drag themselves out of bed to socialize, or go to the gym, or plan healthy meals. Antidepressants are often a way to help people to be capable of doing things like those because they don’t feel like shit by default.
Some people don’t understand that it’s not an either or too.
I’m lucky enough to be able to afford therapy. I exercise and eat mostly healthy. I STILL need my anti-anxiety meds or else I spiral on the smallest shit. Eating more broccoli doesn’t magically make my brain stop pounding the same question over and over in my head until I start sobbing.
RFK is the single biggest threat to America right now and it’s fucking devastating. The fact he’ll never see repercussions for his actions mar this even worse.
From: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/05/antidepressants-rfk-jr-maha
Essentially, “eat healthier, exercise, get more friends, and also somehow find a way to afford therapy” 💀
It’s not like those things can never improve your mood, but at the end of the day a lot of people on antidepressants are either already trying these things, or won’t have their extremely bad situation improved by them, especially given a lot of it is around financial stress, and all of these take money. (healthier food costs more, exercise past stuff like jogging requires either buying your own weights or paying for a gym membership, most activities with friends cost money since third spaces are dying, and therapy is hella expensive)
Plus, depression makes it harder for a person to drag themselves out of bed to socialize, or go to the gym, or plan healthy meals. Antidepressants are often a way to help people to be capable of doing things like those because they don’t feel like shit by default.
Some people don’t understand that it’s not an either or too.
I’m lucky enough to be able to afford therapy. I exercise and eat mostly healthy. I STILL need my anti-anxiety meds or else I spiral on the smallest shit. Eating more broccoli doesn’t magically make my brain stop pounding the same question over and over in my head until I start sobbing.
RFK is the single biggest threat to America right now and it’s fucking devastating. The fact he’ll never see repercussions for his actions mar this even worse.
Maybe you just need to eat more beef tallow fries or a fuck ton of unnecessary protein? /s