The Psychology of Depression and Anxiety - Dr. Scott Eilers People living with chronic depression are fighting a daily multi-front war you cannot comprehend
Mar 30, 2026
A candid look at the invisible, constant battle of suicidal thoughts and the heavy mental energy required to hold them back. Short scenes contrast internal effort with outward output and explain why people can seem unproductive while fighting to survive. Personal reflections and practical signposts offer compassionate recognition and hope.
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Suicidal Thoughts Drain Conscious Resources
- Suicidal ideation consumes mental energy because it's a constant threat that must be held at bay.
- Dr. Scott Eilers compares it to a heavy door labeled "kill yourself" that can start pounding anytime and steals attention from life tasks.
Mental Energy Is Like Game Worker Units
- Mental resources are like worker units that must be reallocated when intrusive suicidal pressure appears.
- Eilers uses RTS game units metaphor to show how some or all 'units' drop tasks to brace the door, leaving nothing for work, school, or social life.
We Misjudge Work By Looking Only At Outputs
- Society measures work by outputs, not by the unseen input of mental effort, so depressed people's effort is undervalued.
- Eilers explains leverage differences mean equal input rarely yields equal output, and depression reduces leverage further.