Dan Harmon Helps a Fan With Inspiring Words About Depression

Dan Harmon,  co-creator of Rick and Morty and Community is a smart guy. This week, a fan asked Harmon for some advice on dealing with depression, and his answer was amazing. This gave me goosebumps:

@danharmon do you have advice for dealing with depression

— colton lancington (@chojuroh) November 28, 2017

It took a while, but when Dan Harmon answered, he answered with some pure gold:

For One: Admit and accept that it’s happening. Awareness is everything. We put ourselves under so much pressure to feel good. It’s okay to feel bad. It might be something you’re good at! Communicate it. DO NOT KEEP IT SECRET. Own it. Like a hat or jacket. Your feelings are real.

— Dan Harmon (@danharmon) November 28, 2017

Two: try to remind yourself, over and over, that feelings are real but they aren’t reality. Example: you can feel like life means nothing. True feeling. Important feeling. TRUE that you feel it, BUT…whether life has meaning? Not up to us. Facts and feelings: equal but different

— Dan Harmon (@danharmon) November 28, 2017

The most important thing I can say to you is please don’t deal with it alone. There is an incredible, miraculous magic to pushing your feelings out. Even writing “I want to die” on a piece of paper and burning it will feel better than thinking about it alone. Output is magical.

— Dan Harmon (@danharmon) November 28, 2017

Dark thoughts will echo off the walls of your skull, they will distort and magnify. When you open your mouth (or an anonymous journal or blog or sketchpad), these thoughts go out. They’ll be back but you gotta get em OUT. Vent them. Tap them. I know you don’t want to but try it.

— Dan Harmon (@danharmon) November 28, 2017

The line “Feelings are real, but they aren’t reality” is one of the most powerful things I’ve ever read about depression. Kudos, Dan.