Maybe he feels that helping somen else's problems will make him feel better about his own.
You're right, he seems to be in a serious situation, he does not realize the gravity of the situation he is in. Have you tried taking him to counseling?

Tell him you are concerned for his life. Don't ask him is he wants to see someone who can help. Take him back to the Dr. Who gave him the medication and tell him/ her about what is going on. Maybe they can arrange something else or re-evaulate him to see if something else is wrong.

You may be your brother's last hope. He may react angrily now, but later when he feels better he will thank you.

You say he is on meds, maybe the Dr. Who gave him the meds can better explain this to you?

Please take care of your brother, good luck to you and post again on how he is doing.

Hello bmw,

many people with depression are sympathetic to others with a similar illness. This is because they have empathy with other people. He can understand their problem and by trying to help them he may sometimes learn how to help himself.


On the other hand it is also much like the situation of the "blind leading the blind' such as in many self-help organisations. The "me too I feel like that" may give some hope to people and let them know they are not alone.


The problem is that mainstream medicine has no answers as yet to the problem of depression, and all they seems to be able to do to prescribe drugs, a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to depression. Of course, drugs are palliative and do not treat the underlying biochemical causes of depression.


Psychologists are in no better position because they assume that the symptoms of depression - irrational thoughts and feelings - are the causes of depression, instead of recognizing they are often the symptoms of an underlying biochemical abnormality.


The reality is that depression is a nutritional disorder that can in most cases be treated without recourse to drugs.


Please read:

articles ---> “depression a nutritional disorder” at our web site.


Jurriaan plesman, ba(psych), post grad. Dip. Clin. Nutr.