Access to the best psychiatric care-- and having the patience to find the right medication-- has saved my life. I'm rooting for you!

Therapist 2 times a week and starting antidepressants sounds like you’re taking the best steps possible ! I’m glad you’ve caught this sooner than later !

James keep talking about your feelings. Not easy for guys, but healthy for you. Avoid shutting down and you will be ok!😊

Meds have to build up in your system to work. Please don't skip them or they will not build up. That's why they said two week kick-in point.

Bro because of you I'm starting Accepting Who I am For 3 years I've been fighting Depression Feel like I was being judged by others Because of me having disability Because of your video I'm starting to see the light You're awesome keep up the great work

We are all rooting for you

As a person who’s struggled with depression for 8 years, I relate to everything you say. It might take awhile to get better, with medication changes, creating routine and goals, and such. I promise you it WILL get better. I know that everyone says those same words ‘it’ll get better’ but it’s true. One random day your gonna realize that your not carrying a sadness everywhere you go anymore, your love for your hobbies, sports, or whatever you used to like, will come back and be enjoyable again, you will finally feel at peace because it will be the feeling you’ve been searching for this entire time. Recovering from depression isn’t a simple task, and it looks different on everyone. it consists of a lot of trial and error, like your going in circles, but over time you’ll realize the things that were working and weren’t working for you to get better, and you’ll learn from those experiences and use it to get better. When I say better it doesn’t mean happy like a lot of people think recovery is, better means being able to live a life where you can be sad sometimes and you can be happy a little more than sometimes but for the majority of the time neutral. Not numb, not slightly sad, but neutral. Sometimes it’s hard to see the progress in yourself and give up, so something I suggest you could do if you wanted to is journal a year in pixels. Look up ‘year in pixels’ and you’ll see what I mean. It helped me keep track of progress in my life, and if you wanted to you can try it as well. If your not interested in journaling I suggest keeping track of your progress in some other way because it’s a lot more helpful than you would think. Again I will say things will get better, lots of love 💚💚💚

Hang in there bud. I am 77 and have been fighting it as long as I have been alive. I didn't get meds until I was 45 and they made a world of change. Not a cure but it did make existing much more logical and enjoyable. You have so much time ahead of you and regardless of what path you take in life, you will have some extraordinary adventures ahead of you. If my first attempt had succeeded I would not have given birth to 7 wonderful sons, never met the love and soulmate, and never been there to save the lives of so many people, including my own mom and dad. Its an adventure and no matter how hard you think you got it figured out? A surprise comes out of nowhere and makes it more adventurous.

Depression and unaliving thoughts are hard to go through, u do not deserve to be going through that. You are the most honest and kindest guy I’ve ever seen. I really do hope you regain happiness again. May god have mercy upon ur soul (sorry if ur not religious)

We love you brother. You are stronger than you realize and you WILL get through this! Keep believing that a blessed and prosperous future is in your sight❤

You are so smart and courageous for seeking the help you need. I guarantee you that you will get better because you are doing all the right things. Also, thank you for sharing this video. I’m sure it will help many others! Cheers, mate!

I was diagnosed with major depression when I was around 20. The meds helped, but a lot of my depression was, and has been, situational. And depression exacerbates any ADD symptoms. As I evolved, my depression became somewhat less overwhelming. Being in love, having a job I liked a lot, really helped. And the less stress the better. Sometimes I talk myself down from a serious episode. Isolation makes things worse. When my longtime boyfriend died, I lost my apartment, my parents also passed, everything came flooding back like I was 20 again. I relapsed in my addiction. But over the last couple years I've been trying to feel better again I hope you will soon feel better. There's no single cure; I had to work on several different layers, therapy, meds, sleep meds, having friends to laugh with, books, music are all important for me. Thanks for this video I really hope you are on the right path😊 PS. What helped a lot is knowing what gives me joy and emotional nourishment. Also challenging my most negative thoughts.

Be proud of yourself for having the courage to share your journey and helping others ❤

From Randy in Chattanooga, Tennessee: Hello young man. That WAS a milestone for you , being able to swallow your medication. Don’t let anyone tell you any different. Take care and God bless. I’m praying for you.🙏🙏🙏

Hang in there!! You may benefit by becoming a volunteer where you can be part of a team and help others. I am a volunteer at a aviation museum. We have over 70 antique airplanes outdoors. I was spending hours repairing lawn sprinklers and pulling weeds. I am responsible for pulling weeds around 1 plane and washing it. When I am working on the grounds, visitors come to me and ask questions. Sometimes I take visitors around in a golf cart. There is joy in helping others and being part of a team. Some of our museum volunteers also volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. This organization builds and remodels houses for low income people and they operate thrift stores that sell donated building material. There is probably a Habitat for Humanity in your community and there are probably 1 or more museums that need tour guides and maintenance people. Being a volunteer might do you a lot of good. You might make a top notch volunteer for big brothers and be a role model for a kid with no dad! Volunteering should build your feeling of self worth and accomplishment and take away the depression.

James, you are certainly doing the right thing about getting good health care. Also, don't forget to ask God for help as well. I will be praying for your total success in your treatment! James

Keep making content and talking to people about your feelings. Work with your docs and your meds. You will get better and you will help others!! Thank you for this content. You’re very brave!!

Please stay healthy, do what you have to do to have a good mindset. We all appreciate your honesty and your stories. You are helping so many people.Thank you

Please hang in there James. I love you man. Keep working at it. It will get better. Love your vids. You are so brave and honest. You are an inspiration to me.

You are so articulate and obviously bright. Push through...there is so much more to live for...just push through and believe in yourself.

ADHD and depression often go together. Sometimes as one gets better the other one improves too. You only have to do this one day at a time. Things will get better. Please follow your plan. You are worth it.

Ay we’re rooting for you dude!! You aren’t alone. You’re gonna get through this ❤❤

I have never dealt with depression, but I sure feel for what you're going through. No-one here can solve your problems, but I CARE; I'm pretty sure WE ALL CARE. Thank you for sharing your feeling with us; I hope it brings you some relief to talk about it, James. Good luck.

Good for you, James … keep it up! Don’t loose hope. You have a wonderful life in front of you!

You are so brave to make this video and are helping so many others by being so open and honest…my meds same exact thing-first few days are brutal with drowsiness and being light headed and all

You concentrate so well with ADD doing these videos-well done! Hang in there buddy-it takes a few weeks for the medicine to really get in your system don’t give up-we are thinking of you and lots of people have trouble swallowing pills

Thanks for update, you're taking good steps & hope you continue to feel ok Jwool bro, you got tons of love & support!

We are all rooting for you - hang in there. All the very best to you.

I'm so impressed by your strength, intelligence, openness, and especially your resilience! I'm 58 and have been fighting this fight for a LONG time. I have good days and bad days, too. With medication and counseling, we get through. And that's enough. Just get through!

i’m so glad your doing a little better and i’m really proud of you for swallowing the pills I gotta honest and I can’t swallow pills at all I never swallowed a pill in my life

Taking the initiative to seek and accept help is hard. You succeeded with that. Meds may need changing as you go and grow. Backing you on this journey! Blessings to you.👍🙏😁

A psycotherapist along with a psychiatrist helped me, mostly the therapist but you have to have one who you feel truly cares about you!!

Hey James! So happy to see this update, my friend! I've said this before, but it is so awesome that you are so transparent in sharing your life with us! Sharing your experience, day by day, is giving so many people (way more than you realize) encouragement and hope. I want you to think about that every day! Continue doing the right thing and fighting hard, because others are gaining strength through you! Love ya, bro!

I don’t know if this is going to help anything but I just wanted to tell you my story. So pretty much since sixth grade I’ve been hurting myself and just couldn’t feel happiness. 7th grade was worse and my parents somehow never knew. In 8th grade i attempted on my life and I was passes out and my dad was screaming at me being stupid saying I had a good life and stuff. But they took me to the ER and then the hospital and then I was taken to the mental hospital. It sucked and I got diagnosed with MDD. Got put on the biggest meds I’ve ever seen and the side effects sucked and they didn’t make a difference. I got a new therapist that I actually like and she listened and put me on new meds I still have the thoughts but I’m less likely to ever act on them because of what happened. Point is I get it everyone says it gets better but sometimes it really does just make you feel lighter. But I’m proud of you for even just reaching out that’s more than I ever did and so many others ever did. We’re all rooting for you and proud of you!!! Sorry if this didn’t help I talk about myself to prove u get it sometimes 😢

I appreciate your openness. I hope things improve.

Proud of you ! Please don’t ever give up. Life can get better if you are alive. Life can be great. You have a new friend here. Good luck young man.

Yo James, we're all out here wrestling with our own stuff every day, and now we've got a new teammate - you! So welcome to the daily struggle club! 😂 Just know, we’re all rooting for each other, and now we're cheering you on too. Let's crush this together! 💪

Thanks for sharing your story. You're not alone, and you're helping a lot of people, hopefully yourself, too!

Glad to hear you have some answers from the psychiatrist. Undiagnosed ADHD really messes with your mind (I know from experience) so it sounds like you're on the right track now to start taking back some control. Take it easy

Good luck on your recovery man 😔 we're here for you

aside from doing all you're doing, make someone else happy. Do something super nice for someone and it has a residual effect that makes you feel good too. Best of life to you. Everyone on this comment section is rooting for you and loves you - that's why we're all here!

I dealt with heavy depression for a very long time (many years) and worked with a doctor to find a medication that would work for me. But no real results until a friend recommended Wellbutrin (we had similar symptoms) and finally I found a medication that worked for me. I have been largely depression free (mostly) for years now. Wellbutrin really changed my life. I also take a low dose of an anti anxiety medication for panic attacks which I mention because of the pill swallowing problem you talked about and I also experienced which for me was anxiety related (in my opinion). Anyway, it took time to figure out what worked for me but once I did, my life changed dramatically for the better. Please keep working thru it. I know how hard it is but you can do it!

Right there with you with the MDD & ADHD as well as thoughts. Keep up with the meds. It might take trying different ones and dosages to find the ones that work best for you. You’ve got this and never forget that you are loved.

Celebrate the accomplishments no matter how small they are.......I read somewhere.....don't focus on your past adventures but look forward to the adventures that have yet to happen! Stay strong....you are strong.....important and matter!

You definitely look more relaxed that was my first thought from the beginning of the video. I hope the side effects end up not being so bad soon.

I'm glad that you are getting better, albeit it slowly, but better nonetheless. It brings a smile to my face knowing that you are getting that help even if you might not see any significant progress at first, but it as time goes one, you will look back at the first bit and see huge improvement that has come, trust me. And as someone who also is struggling with depression for the past 8 years, something that has helped me and might help with your depression, along with the medication, is just simply doing minor things such as opening up any windows and letting natural light in as well as just getting dressed for the day even though you might not be going anywhere for the day.

We're here to support you James. The best thing you did was talk to a therapist, and to tell people about it .i have known people who did not tell anyone about it and they were not able to get out of bed. So glad you are on the right track.

Thank you for the update. And it is one step and day at a time. You are in my prayers James.

We are all hoping that you are doing well! Hope the side effects (like tiredness) aren't that bad now. We all want you to try your best. Personally, I know that in the beginning of recovery, it is really hard to be very positive, and you don't have to explain that you only felt 3 out of 5 good days. I never liked doing that myself, at least. What I'm trying to say is that the road to recovery is never easy, but it is totally worth it. After years of s______dal ideation, and medication, etc. I'm finally able to not hurt myself. There are still struggles every day, but I'm so much better, and I'm so happy my life didn't end. And we all want that for you too! We are so happy that you are getting the help you need! And to anyone reading this, it is alright to have bad days. Or bad years. It's okay. 💪

Hey Jimmy, we are all here for you, brother.

I feel for you. This is a tough fight of mind self doubt. I have meds that are my tool/backup for when my anxiety gets high. Time and therapy helped me from my 20’s and now I relate it to my life now. Hang in J. There is a future to behold. 😊

If you ever think about unaliving yourself, one of the things I'd suggest is to think about the devastation that would bring to your loved ones. I've been through a rough couple of years, but thinking about my friends' and parents' support always took my mind off of hurting myself. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a loving family, a girlfriend, and thousands of subscribers who care about your well-being. Anyways, I'm glad to hear you're doing better Jwool!

We’re here for you man. You got this

DUDE! J- I have been there. Back in Jr/Sr High I was bullied. I used drugs to try and cope. I hope you are doing better. I want you to succeed. I want you to do better. I want you to thrive.

Hey Man, I’m glad you are getting help and hope everything works out for you. Because you can do it.

Hope you can get the help you need.We’ll always be here for you man 🤝

Wool man I hope your okay we’re all here for you!

Thank you for this video and your words. You're doing a good job, keep going. Your loved, send u a big hug 🫂

its good you're doing good man, and that you're accepting of help keep going this way

I was over 18 when I started swallowing pills! Congrats for you celebrate even the little wins! good job, one day at a time and focus on each win!

Glad to hear you are starting to feel a little better, keep staying strong.

I hope ur okay Jwool! im here for u

Hey. The feedback from the psychiatrist seems to fit from what I see... You kinda look better - and it's not just the lighting. Keep going. Keep fighting... You even smile :)

Hey there James: Life can be really tough sometimes, and it’s important to give yourself grace. Reach out to someone you trust, whether it’s a friend, family member, or a counselor. Sharing your feelings can be a big step towards feeling better. Remember, you’re not alone, and there are people who care about you and want to help. Take things one day at a time, and be kind to yourself. You matter more than you realize. Praying your new medications begin to make a difference. Take care!

Good on you for seeking out help, it took me until I was put in a mental hospital to get help . I hope you get better; SSRIs helped me a lot, but it also took a lot of other changes. I’m glad you’re trying to get better

I've had Adhd since age 6 and been taking pills since then now I'm almost 41. Keep it up it helps.

I'm proud of you! I'm here for you if you ever need a friend

I listened carefully. You talk fluently and concisely, so it was easy to follow you. That's definitely a strength you can rely on. Regards - Martin

Ty Mr Jwool you help thousands by sharing your story ❤

Being proud of something small while in depression is good, really good. Hold on to these good days. There are more coming for you! ❤ I am proud of you!!

I never had much luck with medication. Sometimes it made my problems worse. Sometimes it worked but I would just end up chasing the dragon of feeling ok. Psychiatry gave me many addictions. I can’t do that stuff anymore. Talking is the best solution I’ve found. I go to group therapy because one-on-one with a stranger makes me uncomfortable. And these groups are so real. The people there understand and even when they don’t, they make a genuine effort to understand. I found the root of many of my problems was a lack of community that can understand me. That’s what it’s been for me, addressing the roots. And I was blind to the roots for so long. Keeping a journal has helped me find the negative patterns in my life that need to be addressed. Writing helps me keep authorship of my life. Find what makes you happy and go after it :) Never be ashamed to ask for help. There are people out there that really do understand and care. Life can be too painful to not feel the love!

I hope you are okay jwool i am here for you

i really hope your doing okay bro. im keeping you in my prayers🤞🏼. just know you are very strong for talking about these things and ik its hard but talking about it with people like that cause some ppl can’t open up bro. you are really strong pls remember that 💯 love you bro and pls lmk if you need anything cause im here.

I’m 57 years old and bipolar, I’ve had quite a few depressive periods in my life. My advice to you is get up every morning and take a shower and get dressed. If you’ve never suffered depression you’ll probably think that’s not much help, but I promise you it’s vital.remember no one ever dies of depression, they die of not being able to cope with it. I wish you well and please always remember,this too shall pass ! That’s the key to surviving depression. Thank you for having the bravery to share your story with us all. You might well be throwing a lifeline to another young person going through the same issues. Take care of yourself and good luck to you.

God Bless you, man! You have no idea what a beautiful human you are! James, if you have trouble swallowing pills, take them with applesauce. It will work, and you HAVE to take these meds ... and KEEP talking. The world NEEDS you, James. 😍🤩

Great to hear you're doing better, wishing you the best 🙏

I hope the best for you. I have been on meds for along time now. It takes about 2 weeks to get in your blood and they maybe change the dosages depends on how your brain reacts.

I can totally relate to your struggles and concerns. Just understand things do get better. You are taking all the right steps. You’re young smart good looking and have your whole life ahead of you. One day at a time.

When things look down or your day is problematic, you can always draw strength from possibilities that tomorrow will bring. You can have so many days of absolute shite, then suddenly everything changes in a day and you couldn't ask for better. Be patient, be ready for shite to happen along the way and keep looking on the bright side of life because you will eventually get where you want to go. Stay strong.

I've been through depression and sh, luckily never had to go to the psychiatrist. But I did it and I'm letting you know it is possible to get through this. You CAN do this. Praying for you, man

You did the right thing. Good for you! I was very depressed a few months ago. I finally forced myself to go to my family doctor. (They know my history.) I had been off all my meds, including my SSRI antidepressant, for about a year. I was desperate but NOT hopeful. But in less than a week I felt like a new person. Thank God for 40 mg/ day of Prozac! That's a lot faster tho than most meds work, generally it can take weeks for the meds to really begin to lift the depression. It looks like you're responding to your new meds and your therapy. Hang in there!🤗

keep grinding bro u got this

From Canada here , stay strong you are so much needed in this world , and with this video you are helping peaple that you dont even know plus hoping your helping your self . Stay strong my friend

Pills...do what i do for my dog (not comparing u to a dog) put the pills in a spoonful of peanut butter... it will be digested. I take 3 vitamins a day....i call horse pills cos they are huge. Luckily i myself do not have issues digesting and am able to take all three 1st thing in the morning. Play lots of basketball and piano to keep yourself busy. Heard an awesome original song on AGT. Give it a listen see if you like it, but it is an honest song by a 16yo kid Oscar Stembridge...its all over YT so u will have no prob finding it. I also found on soundcloud & dl on my phone. You are awesome James. You will get through this

It takes a lot of courage to share your personal story. Best of luck in your journey to mental health and well-being. 👊👊

I'm praying for you dude. I'm 85 years old but I can remember feeling like you at your age. Praying a powerful prayer for you.

Yep, I have the same diagnoses. MDD and ADHD. Sometimes medications vary widely when they start having a noticeable effect, and not everyone experiences the same side effects. They started me off with Wellbutrin, which gave me headaches and panic attacks, so I dropped that right away. Now I'm on Zoloft, which is the perfect fit for me. Hang in there, buddy, things can and do get better! You're going to be okay. 😉

Thanks for the update Well done 👏 Just take it one day at the time enjoy the little things in life and stay positive and don't forget to smile 😊

okay 1) swallowing a pill is a huge deal, i had this killer headache once like it was so bad i needed to throw up and my best friends mom gave me an advil and the second i tried to swallow it i almost puked. now im a pro at swallowing pills 😼 big tip: larger the pill, the more water you drink 2) good days will come and go but you gotta ignore those bad days cuz that will definitely ruin your whole mood. and it’s so good to hear that you’re smiling more ^^ we’re here for you and we’re all rooting for you james

i hope you are Okay Jwool i am here for you

Never convince yourself that you are WAY off track. Because you're not. What you're trying to do now is 'fine tune' things so life for you isn't as challenging at it has been. I'm proud of you for taking steps to make things better.

Jwool keeping sharing your story, you have no idea how many youth your video is impacting. God bless you.

Medication can be another tool just like therapies, journaling, self care, working out…sometimes you need a floor to the feelings and when you’ve tried everything else, medication can sometimes be that tool. I’m a trauma therapist and I use an antidepressant as a tool for myself when I know I’m in the place where I need a floor. Last time I took it for about 8 months and things shifted and I was able to taper off. And I know of I get in that place again, I have a great tool (med) to bring in that can help me. Just wanted to offer that perspective 💛

They've got me on max dose of effexor and just started me on buspirone. Hoping it'll help. The buspirone is like what you're describing lol. So tiny and sometimes I can't tell if I even swallowed it. I'm walking a similar path with ya,brother. Stay strong

STAY STRONG. I'm glad you reached out for help before anything bad happens. I am also diagnosed with deep depression. I am also taking two medications for this, one starts with a 'C' and the other an 'A'. As you were talking I was nodding my head in agreement. One thing that I've noticed, and I've been taking these for years, is a near complete loss of the ability to express emotions. I can still think something is funny, or I can get angry, but it takes a LOT for it to bubble to the surface. Stay safe. I'm happy you took these steps.

Thankyou for being so vulnerable on camera pls keep going I love you so much ❤️

Also I get that head spinning thing as well, not bc of meds tho. It used to happen a lot. Like for weeks most times I stood up, the room started spinning. One time it happened it was quite bad in the morning. I'd just got out of bed and was going to feed my fish, nearly fell and had to hold on to my desk for support. Other times, (more recent) it just happens randomly. Like one time I was at a shopping centre and everything went blurry and I couldn't see anything. It's weird tho bc as it starts, I realise that and my brain immediately goes, "okay, wall there, person there, hear people behind me, just grab her if I fall".It sometimes also happens after I put cold water on my forehead. Like I'll be doing rep netball training, which is more intense than regular, go to the bathroom, do my thing, then wipe cold water on my forehead bc I'm hot. Then when I've gotten back, immediately wave of dizziness. It's really hard to do sport when everything is so blurry infront of you for a few seconds to the point where you can't see anything. Anyway that was long lol

Thanks for sharing man. I’ve been taking anti depressants for years and I wish people would talk more openly about it. Glad to hear they’re slowly kicking in for you. ❤

You got this bro. We love ya!

This is a great video. You're setting a tremendous example, an example that will surely help others. Good for you! Thank you!