re: US suicides hit an all-time high last year

Everyone wants to feel liked, even misanthropes. There are studies that show that simple everyday social interactions lead to happier, longer lives. Stuff like interactions at the post office.

We get so much less of that, and so much more negative online interactions. Fights in comments on news articles are disgusting. For some, that’s their only social interactions of the day, with remote work and food delivery. Imagine the frame of mind that puts you in.

In real life it’s easy to feel some sort of connection or sympathy with almost anyone.

Also, exercise. If I was a psychiatrist I would have an exercise bike in my office and each depressed patient would do 20 mins of a good HIIT workout each session. There are entire books about how exercise is as good as or better than Prozac for depression. “Spark” by John Ratey was great.