Antidepressants and Depression: A Real Conversation About Stigma, Side Effects, and Hope

If you've ever struggled with the decision to start antidepressants—or know someone who has—this episode offers honest insights that might change the conversation. Sports broadcaster and mental health advocate Michael Landsberg shares his personal journey through depression, his resistance to medication, and the lessons he learned after multiple relapses.

Michael’s candid reflections challenge stigma and encourage openness, especially among men and those who feel pressure to “tough it out.” You’ll hear how he finally accepted help, what he’s learned about managing depression, and the one phrase that helped him reframe his relationship with meds: “Learn to love the thing you hate the least.”

Sick Not Weak's Website: https://www.sicknotweak.com/

Primary Topics Covered:

• How stigma stops people from seeking help for depression
• Michael Landsberg’s personal journey with major depressive disorder and anxiety
• The trial-and-error process of finding the right antidepressant
• Side effects, relapses, and the danger of stopping medication too soon
• Destigmatizing conversations around medication and mental illness
• The concept of “learning to love the thing you hate the least”
• Warning signs of a depressive relapse and how to respond
• What real recovery looks like—not perfect days, but better ones
• The impact of sharing mental health stories publicly and shamelessly
• How to compassionately approach someone resistant to treatment

Timestamps:

00:00 Podcast intro and acknowledgements
01:27 Listener email sparks today's topic: How to talk about meds
02:33 Meet Michael Landsberg and hear his quick story summary
03:44 Breaking stigma: Mental illness doesn't equal weakness
04:49 Michael’s early experiences with antidepressants
05:44 The 2008 relapse that changed everything
07:03 Why he now stays on meds—and what finally convinced him
07:42 Debunking the phrase “I don’t believe in medication”
08:57 Side effects vs. suffering: choosing what you hate the least
09:45 Why people refuse treatment—and why they shouldn’t
10:41 Identifying warning signs of a depressive slide
12:36 Michael’s relapse markers: withdrawal, silence, and fear
14:25 How he pulls back from the edge—strategies that work
15:21 The value of counting good days vs. bad days
17:26 Real destigmatization: honest, shameless storytelling
18:14 Final reflections and call to action: speak up, listen up

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