Ari Sharif and his struggle with depression

This article will talk about Ari Sharif’s struggle with depression. It will show what he has said about it, and how his friends perceived him through that period. Aside from that, the article will explain who Ari Sharif is.

Ari Sharif and his struggle with depression

Ari Sharif is a comedian that is known for his overly honest, and sometimes shocking humor. But that doesn’t mean that he is happy all the time. Rather than that, it has become more and more common to witness comedians coming forward talking about their mental health.

In Ari Sharif’s case, he openly discussed it over participation he made in his friend’s Joe Rogan podcast. In it, he talked about how his depression became so intense, that he was close to ending his life. 

Aside from that, he told his friends why it took him a while to begin to feel better. And discussed a matter that seems to impact most people that are going through depression: finding the right medication to treat the condition.

That is often common because, unlike antibiotics, which you know that each type responds to what type of infection, with antidepressants, there is no way of knowing what works with each person, and each case.

As Ari Sharif talked in the Joe Rogan podcast, he went through a series of different medications, each of them to fix one thing. Until he and his doctor found the one that suited his needs.

That happens because depression will affect the levels of many neurotransmitters and hormones in the person’s body. And this will hardly be possible to assess through exams. So there is no way to determine what type of neurotransmitters or hormones you are lacking, or have in excess that is leading you to feel depressed.

This trial and error process can sometimes take an even bigger toll on the person’s emotional state. Leading them to feel like their condition will never improve. This can add to the hopelessness that depression will often bring, and can make a person consider abandoning the treatment, and even thinking about ending their lives more frequently.

That seemed to be the case with Ari Sharif. At some point, he was having such a hard time with his psychiatrist, and the medication, that it made him so depressed that he began to think about ending his own life.

And that was when he made the most important movement toward his healing. He reached out to his friends. Up until then, he was dealing with depression all on his own. And that seemed to be his way of behaving in the world.

On the Joe Rogan podcast, he asked his friends how they felt when he was dealing with depression. , they said that the first thing they felt was fear and helplessness. And that is often the case when you have someone struggling with depression close to you.

They said that they realized it was a big deal that Ari Sharif was asking for help, because he was usually someone that would deal with his things on his own, and hardly complained about anything. So as he said he was having trouble with his psychiatrist, and medication, the friends realized they needed to help.

But unfortunately, they sometimes don’t know-how. One of them guaranteed Ari that he would give him the financial support he needed, for as long as it was necessary. Aside from that, they got in touch with people that could help with Ari Shafir’s treatment. 

And at some point, they found the right line of treatment for him. But even after that, in the podcast, Ari Sharif said it took months for him to begin to feel better. And during this time, his friends said that they felt extremely scared.

They spoke a little of the fear of having someone close to you having suicidal thoughts, and how it can make you fear that at some point, you may get the call that the person acted on it. 

They openly discussed how, when a person is depressed and suicidal, as a friend you don’t want to have in kind that you could or should have done something differently.

Throughout the whole podcast, some important matters around depression are highlighted. The first one is that depression is not a choice. Here we have a known comedian, who, as said by his friends, is usually cheerful, and hardly complains about things. And he hit rock bottom, proving that depression is not something you can just will yourself out.

Secondly, it shows how important it is to have a support network when you are struggling with depression. Even if, sometimes, your friends and loved ones don’t know what to do. But having people close that will offer you support, and help you think about what are the other possibilities you have can take a lot of the pressure from you.

And finally, through the honest comment of Ari Sharif about his condition, people understand that depression won’t improve from one moment to the next. 

In reality, as he talks about the process of searching for the right line of treatment, and the right medication, we get the idea that it can take some time for a person to begin to get better, even if they are in treatment.

This may help people that are going through depression, and its treatment, and their support network, to know that it is not an immediate thing. Helping them not put too much pressure on this process, and on the person that is depressed.

Who is Ari Sharif?

Ari David Sharif is a comedian, podcaster, writer, and producer that was born in 1974 in the United States. Nowadays he produces and hosts the podcast called Skeptic Tank. He is also the co-host of another podcast called Punch Drunk Sports.

He is often a guest of his friend Joe Rogan, in his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience. On tv, he was the creator, producer, and host of a show called This Is Not Happening, which was an adaptation of his stand-up show.

He is known for his sometimes shocking humor. And got to the headlines when he made a joke that centered on Kobe Bryant, right after he died in 2019.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Is Ari Sharif depressed? 

What are suicidal thoughts? 

Suicidal thoughts, or suicidal ideation, are thoughts a person may have about ending their own life. It can usually happen in two ways, a more passive way, or a more active one. In the first one, the person may have fleeting thoughts about ending their lives, but they don’t have a concrete plan around it.

In the second type of suicidal thought, the person may be more active, which means they may be thinking and making concrete plans about it. In most cases, they are deciding where, how, and when they will do it, and this makes it the most dangerous form of suicidal thought.

How can I help a friend that is going through suicidal thoughts? 

If you suspect your friend is having suicidal thoughts, the first thing you need to do is have an open and honest conversation with them. Ask them if they have been feeling like that, and how that has been coming to their minds. Try to not pass any judgment, and also not to fix everything.

Understanding what type of suicidal thoughts they are in, and if they have been in treatment, can indicate how things have been going. If they are still not in treatment, you can offer them some help in looking for someone. 

After this conversation, make sure you make yourself present, be it physically, or even through text. That is because when a person is having suicidal thoughts they can be scared that they will push people away with their ideas, pr that they will only worry people. But by being present, you make them feel connected, which can be a protective factor against suicide.

If at any moment you realize that they are in the more active phase of the suicidal thought, get in touch with other people that are part of their support network, and create a way that your friend is not left alone. Aside from that, take away from the reach things they could use to harm themselves with.

Is only medication enough to treat depression? 

No, often medication is not the only way to treat people with depression. The medication will only work on the biological matter related to depression. It will work in the chemical imbalance that may be going on in the person’s brain and decrease the intensity of the depressive symptoms.

But the medication will hardly impact the emotional matters that are related to depression. For that, it is often necessary that the person goes through therapy. Which will be a place for them to learn how to deal with their emotions more positively.

Does depression have a cure? 

No, depression doesn’t have a cure. That is because depression can be related to genetic factors, which won’t be changed through treatment. Aside from that, the person that has had a depressive episode before is more at risk of going through another depressive episode.

But it is important to know that depression will go into remission. This means that the person will be able to feel joy again and regain their interest in things. And even though that is possible, the person in remission needs to keep caring for their mental health as a way to prevent future relapse.

Is it possible that my depression medication won’t work on my friend?

Yes, it is extremely likely that the same medication, in the same dosage won’t work in the same way with you, and with your friend. That is because each person’s organism responds differently.

And this is true for any medication. But when talking about mental health medication, this is a matter that is often followed closely by psychiatrists. That is because you can have two people with the same diagnosis, and they will have the same medication, same dosage, and feel completely different.

To one, the medication can be working extremely well. But the other may be experiencing such intense side effects that it may lead their psychiatrist to consider changing the dosage or even change the medication.

Conclusion

This article explained the struggles the comedian Ari Sharif went through in dealing with his depression. It also showed how his friends perceived him during that time. Finally, the article explained who Ari Sharif is.

If you have any questions or comments about this article, feel free to write them in the section below.

References

https://whatculture.com/offbeat/10-most-emotional-joe-rogan-experience-moments?page=9

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