Michael Beasley hospitalized for depression

[nickagneta]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/9976646/Report:-Beasley-checks-into-rehab-for-depression

I was going to post this in the other Beasley thread but that kinda dissolved into foolishness and this is a serious subject. The article says that they aren't even sure if Beasley will be out in time for training camp. Given his recent public suicidal comments and tendencies, my guess is he could be there a while.

I wish you the best Michael Beasley and hope all works out for you but know this from someone with experience in depression, this is going to be hard work and need to be taken very seriously. You can still return to become one of the greatest draft picks of the last 5 years.

But like basketball, which comes naturally to you and gets better when you practice it, mental illness and instability will come natural to you as well if you are sick. You will need to work very hard every minute of your life to remain mentally healthy and stable. I wish you the best with that.

[Redz]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/9976646/Report:-Beasley-checks-into-rehab-for-depression

I was going to post this in the other Beasley thread bu that kinda dissolved into foolishness and this is a serious subject. The article says that they aren't even sure if Beasley will be out in time for training camp. Given his recent public suicidal comments and tendencies, my guess is he could be there a while.

I wish you the best Michael Beasley and hope all works out for you but now this from someone with experience in this, this is going to be hard work and need to be taken very seriously. You can still return to become one of the greatest draft picks of the last 5 years.

But like basketball, which comes naturally to you and gets better when you practice it, mental illness and instability will come natural to you as well if you are sick. You will need to work very hard every minute of your life to remain mentally healthy and stable. I wish you the best with that.

Well said Nick.

Obviously not a joking matter, and an appropriate separate thread.

[Roy Hobbs]

While I feel for Beasley if his depression symptoms are legitimate, I don't think that excuses all his other bonehead decisions.    From all accounts, he's a very, very immature 20 year old.  He got in trouble multiple times in high school, and he's gotten in trouble in the pros. 

I hope he gets the help he apparently needs, but I'm not sure that rehab is going to make Michael Beasley a better or more mature person. 

[Lucky17]

Unfortunately, my cynical first response to this news was that he was taking steps to diffuse unwanted attention from now a second incident suggesting marijuana use (given how the first one resulted in a stiff fine from the league).

Regardless, I hope the kid comes to realize his basketball abilities place as much a burden of responsibility on him as they afford him opportunities many people can only dream of. Let's hope he makes the most of his career in the NBA.

[Drucci]

Sad news, and even more disturbing since it started with a simple compromising picture which was laughable.

I wish Beasley a good recovery and hope he can come back in time for training camp.

[RAcker]

I happen to believe that it's more often than not that an individual makes terrible decisions that lead to chronic depression rather than the other way around.  It is not nearly as likely that he had this manic depressive disorder (whatever type it may be) before he made these other decisions which we'll all agree are boneheaded.

With all of that said, I still feel for anyone that develops this serious type of mental illness.  Suicidal thoughts are very serious and are not a joking matter.  We can say it's his own doing all we want and it may very well be true, but it's no less sad.  I hope he gets himself straight and doesn't squander away a dream job that any of us would love to have.

[ToppersBsktball10]

Vince Young #2... still my feelings go out to Beasley and his family. Hopefully he can get out of this and reach his potential.

[nickagneta]

While I feel for Beasley if his depression symptoms are legitimate, I don't think that excuses all his other bonehead decisions.    From all accounts, he's a very, very immature 20 year old.  He got in trouble multiple times in high school, and he's gotten in trouble in the pros. 

I hope he gets the help he apparently needs, but I'm not sure that rehab is going to make Michael Beasley a better or more mature person. 

Extreme immaturity in some very young adults and alcohol and drug use can be attributed to the mental illness. Now some people are just extremely immature and abuse alcohol and drugs because that is what they want to do and eventually they grow up and everything takes care of itself. I would venture to guess that that description fits most freshmen and sophomores in college over the last 30-40 years or so.

But those same tendencies in someone who has a mental illness tend to be a scream for help. Luckily someone picked up on his suicidal thoughts, tendencies and outbursts that differentiated him as someone with an illness rather than just growing pains. In Beasley's case, if he is indeed being hospitalized for mental illness and this is not some ploy to pretend to be mentally ill to get leniency from the NBA, he is going to go through a very tough time as a life style change is going to have to happen to facilitate a proper long term recovery.

Sometimes an out in the open star personality isn't the best way to live a life and try to recover from such an illness.

[nickagneta]

I happen to believe that it's more often than not that an individual makes terrible decisions that lead to chronic depression rather than the other way around.  It is not nearly as likely that he had this manic depressive disorder (whatever type it may be) before he made these other decisions which we'll all agree are boneheaded.

With all of that said, I still feel for anyone that develops this serious type of mental illness.  Suicidal thoughts are very serious and are not a joking matter.  We can say it's his own doing all we want and it may very well be true, but it's no less sad.  I hope he gets himself straight and doesn't squander away a dream job that any of us would love to have.

Sorry, RAcker, but that is completely wrong. Mental illness is the reason people make those bad decisions. When they are bi-polar, which most who have depression are, it is the highs that cause them to make dumb decisions like spending too much money, gambling beyond their means, illegal behavior, dangerous behavior. it's because when we are on those highs we feel omnipotent and think nothing can happen to us.

When depressed we take drugs, drink alcohol, try anything and everything we can to get back to that feeling of feeling omnipotent again. Unfortunately, it doesn't work and feeling or worthlessness and paranoia settle in and cause one to self medicate some more and then feelings of solitude and exhaustion kick in and you spiral downward into oblivion.

Mental illness takes away a person's ability to reason through decisions and makes everything you decide to do an impulse decision. it really is the complete and utter opposite as to what you think.

[RAcker]

I happen to believe that it's more often than not that an individual makes terrible decisions that lead to chronic depression rather than the other way around.  It is not nearly as likely that he had this manic depressive disorder (whatever type it may be) before he made these other decisions which we'll all agree are boneheaded.

With all of that said, I still feel for anyone that develops this serious type of mental illness.  Suicidal thoughts are very serious and are not a joking matter.  We can say it's his own doing all we want and it may very well be true, but it's no less sad.  I hope he gets himself straight and doesn't squander away a dream job that any of us would love to have.

Sorry, RAcker, but that is completely wrong. Mental illness is the reason people make those bad decisions. When they are bi-polar, which most who have depression are, it is the highs that cause them to make dumb decisions like spending too much money, gambling beyond their means, illegal behavior, dangerous behavior. it's because when we are on those highs we feel omnipotent and think nothing can happen to us.

When depressed we take drugs, drink alcohol, try anything and everything we can to get back to that feeling of feeling omnipotent again. Unfortunately, it doesn't work and feeling or worthlessness and paranoia settle in and cause one to self medicate some more and then feelings of solitude and exhaustion kick in and you spiral downward into oblivion.

Mental illness takes away a person's ability to reason through decisions and makes everything you decide to do an impulse decision. it really is the complete and utter opposite as to what you think.

Nick, with all due respect, by your way of looking at things, everyone whoever does anything wrong would be excused as mentally ill.  I truly believe that mental illness is real.  I do not dispute that.  However, I do take issue with what causes it.  There is scientific evidence to support both of our sides depending on who the subject is.  In some cases, mental illness can exist in a person due to genetics, chemical imbalances or because of traumatic experiences which were no fault of their own (rape, war, abuse, etc.)

However, my point is that with chronic depression, it is often found that an individual has done something to contribute to the problem.  For instance, abuse of drugs by a curious teenager is not mental illness.  They did not try the drug because they were crazy.  They might have just wanted to see what it was like.  However, if they do too much for too long, they might develop mental illnesses associated to these choices because of what the drugs do to them chemically or because of things they do while under the influence.  In such cases, the mental illness comes as a result of life choices instead of the other way around.

I happen to know of a kid that had a good upbringing and he started making some bad decisions in his life (drugs, etc.).  Instead of blaming himself and becoming depressed, he blamed his parents for being too hard on him and he shot them both.  It's difficult to blame anyone but him for that when he was completely able to explain to the authorities exactly why he felt he was justified when he admitted that there was zero abuse in the home.
They even tried to get him help for his drug problem.  It's hard for me to think that his mental illness came before the drug problem did.

I am definitely not highly knowledgable of psychology, but from everything I know, I think the knife cuts both ways.  So, for you to say I'm completely wrong I think is an overstatement.  I don't mean to argue.  Truce.

[fairweatherfan]

I happen to believe that it's more often than not that an individual makes terrible decisions that lead to chronic depression rather than the other way around.  It is not nearly as likely that he had this manic depressive disorder (whatever type it may be) before he made these other decisions which we'll all agree are boneheaded.

With all of that said, I still feel for anyone that develops this serious type of mental illness.  Suicidal thoughts are very serious and are not a joking matter.  We can say it's his own doing all we want and it may very well be true, but it's no less sad.  I hope he gets himself straight and doesn't squander away a dream job that any of us would love to have.

Sorry, RAcker, but that is completely wrong. Mental illness is the reason people make those bad decisions. When they are bi-polar, which most who have depression are, it is the highs that cause them to make dumb decisions like spending too much money, gambling beyond their means, illegal behavior, dangerous behavior. it's because when we are on those highs we feel omnipotent and think nothing can happen to us.

I'm not a clinician, but I am a psychologist, and I feel obligated to point out that bipolar disorder is a very frequently misdiagnosed condition.  True bipolar disorder is estimated to occur in roughly 5-8% of clinically depressed individuals.  That means at least one bipolar cycle in their lifetime.  For the population as a whole it's around 1% lifetime.  Bipolar disorder is a fairly rare condition, but a lot of people just boil the symptoms down to "sometimes I'm happy, sometimes I'm sad" and misdiagnose themselves.  Doesn't hurt that some physicians and drug companies are more than happy to "treat the disorder" too.

Either way, it's obvious Beasley's in a rough patch right now - he's spent his whole life being groomed to get to the NBA.  Now he's there, his success on the court has been mixed at best, and he's sitting around for his first offseason as a millionaire.  Depression is pretty plausible for an ungrounded individual in that situation.  I hope he gets the help he needs and that Marbury isn't his roommate.

[Rondo_is_better]

I happen to believe that it's more often than not that an individual makes terrible decisions that lead to chronic depression rather than the other way around.  It is not nearly as likely that he had this manic depressive disorder (whatever type it may be) before he made these other decisions which we'll all agree are boneheaded.

With all of that said, I still feel for anyone that develops this serious type of mental illness.  Suicidal thoughts are very serious and are not a joking matter.  We can say it's his own doing all we want and it may very well be true, but it's no less sad.  I hope he gets himself straight and doesn't squander away a dream job that any of us would love to have.

Sorry, RAcker, but that is completely wrong. Mental illness is the reason people make those bad decisions. When they are bi-polar, which most who have depression are, it is the highs that cause them to make dumb decisions like spending too much money, gambling beyond their means, illegal behavior, dangerous behavior. it's because when we are on those highs we feel omnipotent and think nothing can happen to us.

When depressed we take drugs, drink alcohol, try anything and everything we can to get back to that feeling of feeling omnipotent again. Unfortunately, it doesn't work and feeling or worthlessness and paranoia settle in and cause one to self medicate some more and then feelings of solitude and exhaustion kick in and you spiral downward into oblivion.

Mental illness takes away a person's ability to reason through decisions and makes everything you decide to do an impulse decision. it really is the complete and utter opposite as to what you think.

Actually, I think you're both right. About 2 years ago I made a really, really dumb decision that led to some serious consequences, and shortly after that, I became depressed for about 6 months.

I became depressed because of the consequences resulting from my dumb decision.

I didn't do anything else bad or dumb after my initial bad decision, or during my depression, but I can certainly see how it could happen.

So, from experience, I know that RAcker is right, and that Nick's theory is totally plausible (although I myself did not follow his model).   

[greenwise]

I happen to believe that it's more often than not that an individual makes terrible decisions that lead to chronic depression rather than the other way around.  It is not nearly as likely that he had this manic depressive disorder (whatever type it may be) before he made these other decisions which we'll all agree are boneheaded.

With all of that said, I still feel for anyone that develops this serious type of mental illness.  Suicidal thoughts are very serious and are not a joking matter.  We can say it's his own doing all we want and it may very well be true, but it's no less sad.  I hope he gets himself straight and doesn't squander away a dream job that any of us would love to have.

Sorry, RAcker, but that is completely wrong. Mental illness is the reason people make those bad decisions. When they are bi-polar, which most who have depression are, it is the highs that cause them to make dumb decisions like spending too much money, gambling beyond their means, illegal behavior, dangerous behavior. it's because when we are on those highs we feel omnipotent and think nothing can happen to us.

When depressed we take drugs, drink alcohol, try anything and everything we can to get back to that feeling of feeling omnipotent again. Unfortunately, it doesn't work and feeling or worthlessness and paranoia settle in and cause one to self medicate some more and then feelings of solitude and exhaustion kick in and you spiral downward into oblivion.

Mental illness takes away a person's ability to reason through decisions and makes everything you decide to do an impulse decision. it really is the complete and utter opposite as to what you think.

I agree with your post completely. TP. I have had some problems with depression myself and i believe this is how it works, at least in me

[Roy Hobbs]

I happen to believe that it's more often than not that an individual makes terrible decisions that lead to chronic depression rather than the other way around.  It is not nearly as likely that he had this manic depressive disorder (whatever type it may be) before he made these other decisions which we'll all agree are boneheaded.

With all of that said, I still feel for anyone that develops this serious type of mental illness.  Suicidal thoughts are very serious and are not a joking matter.  We can say it's his own doing all we want and it may very well be true, but it's no less sad.  I hope he gets himself straight and doesn't squander away a dream job that any of us would love to have.

Sorry, RAcker, but that is completely wrong. Mental illness is the reason people make those bad decisions. When they are bi-polar, which most who have depression are, it is the highs that cause them to make dumb decisions like spending too much money, gambling beyond their means, illegal behavior, dangerous behavior. it's because when we are on those highs we feel omnipotent and think nothing can happen to us.

When depressed we take drugs, drink alcohol, try anything and everything we can to get back to that feeling of feeling omnipotent again. Unfortunately, it doesn't work and feeling or worthlessness and paranoia settle in and cause one to self medicate some more and then feelings of solitude and exhaustion kick in and you spiral downward into oblivion.

Mental illness takes away a person's ability to reason through decisions and makes everything you decide to do an impulse decision. it really is the complete and utter opposite as to what you think.

I don't think depression works in one way for all people.  If it did, it would be a heck of a lot easier to treat successfully.

The fact is, some people are just trouble-makers and losers, *before* any mental illness enters into the picture.  Just because somebody is diagnosed with depression years after their immature and illegal behavior began, doesn't mean that the depression was the root cause of all of that person's problems.

[davemonsterband]

I'd be depressed too if everyone I knew caught me with the reefer. It's a shame a guy making this much money is playing on people's real problems to deflect a bonehead move. All the best to him, but I don't feel sorry for him.