Keyboard warriors share their thoughts about depression

See my previous post – this is what’s wrong with the world (in regards to this issue, at least).

I’m tempted not to remove the names and profile pictures of the commenters because these people have chosen to share their ignorant and uneducated opinions publicly, but I will because I’m not a total piece of shit.

Warning: sarcasm ahead. (In my family, we call it Starkasm.)

Your Plane (with its completely unnecessary capital P) probably already is staffed by people with depression, anxiety, or any number of other disorders that don’t actually impact upon their ability to work.

You’re at a much greater risk of personal harm caused by drunks or “mentally unstable” passengers than you are trained staff who happen to have depression.

This to me kind of reads like an “I’m not racist, but…” comment. “I feel for her, but…”

What exactly is going to “happen” mid air? I think this guy is equating depression with violent tendencies which just isn’t a thing, I’m afraid to say. The only thing that might “happen” is she might need to go lock herself in the loo and have a bit of a cry (a favourite of depressed people because tears in public are frowned upon) and then will get on with her day, smiling and serving and being treated horribly by entitled travellers… you know the ones.

Depressed people come in many different flavours. Sometimes, they’re sad. Sometimes they’re angry. Often they withdraw. Rarely do things “happen” that impact upon others and put them at risk.

Whuuuut? I’m not sure what depression or “psychological issues” have to do with bad customer service but it seems this commenter has it sorted. I can sleep well now.

The safety of other people’s lives oh my god!

No. Just no. Not a thing. Depressed people don’t want to harm other people. Most of them don’t want to harm themselves. Whilst I’m not going to comment on discrimination in the military, there is a huuuuuuge difference between someone who carries a loaded gun as an essential part of their job and someone who serves drinks on a plane. You do know that flight attendants don’t fly planes, right? Even if you’re thinking that a depressed flight attendant will almost certainly hijack the plane and kill everyone, still no. Also “descrimination” is not a thing.

Yes. That will happen. I can see the headlines already: Depressed Flight Attendant Wishes To Die; Kills Everyone.

In this scenario, everyone listens to the mentally unstable flight attendant and chooses not to wear a life jacket. We all know this wouldn’t happen, because oh my god, turn off your phone already and put your seatbelt on for goodness sake. You know those people: the ones who don’t listen to the cabin crew because the rules don’t apply to them on board.

Let me tell you something: depressed people can still function normally at their job. I am absolutely, 100% certain that in the event of an emergency, a flight attendant’s training would overpower whatever lingering depression they may have. Depressed people struggle with their mental health. They do not always wish to die. They do not wish to kill other people. They are capable of behaving in a reasonable manner.

Putting the terrible writing aside, this starts off well. Yep, flight attendants go through training and know how to handle all kinds of potential issues.

However, it goes on to imply that drunk passengers will… make her upset? Cause something to “happen” (see earlier comment)? Let me tell you, I’ve sat in the back row of many a flight and overheard many a conversation between flight attendants in the galley (because my anxiety prevents me from sleeping on planes without being doped up to the eyeballs on Valium, y’all) wherein one flight attendant is upset or angered by the behaviour of a passenger. I will assume from now on that all upset or angry flight attendants are deep in the bowels of a depressive episode because they were unable to “shrug it off”, and I will promptly fear for my life.

This one isn’t critical of depression, but I’ve included it because I think this guy is an A , top shelf bloke, and I’m going to message him and ask him if he wants to put a baby in me.