This document discusses clinical depression and the TV show "You're the Worst" portrayal of it. It defines clinical depression as a mood disorder causing persistent sadness and loss of interest. It affects thoughts, feelings and behaviors. The show depicts the dark aspects of depressive episodes and their impacts on relationships. One character, Gretchen, struggles with clinical depression that she keeps hidden. The show realistically shows depression causes selfishness and the difficulties of supporting a partner's mental health struggles. It concludes the writer likely has depression or a close family member does based on the show's accurate depiction of depression's effects.

1. Mood Disorder
Clinical Depression

2. Psychology Basis

3. Clinical depression
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.
Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression that requires a medical diagnosis. It
affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical
problems. Including a change in sleep, appetite,energy
level, concentration,daily behavior and or self esteem
in the United States.In 2014, an estimated 15.7 million
adults in the U.S, about 6.7 percent of all U.S. adults
had at least one Major depressive episode, according
To the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
Depression may also be associated with thoughts
of suicide and may require a long term treatment.
mayoclinic.org

4. People may experience:
Mood: anxiety, apathy, general discontent, guilt, hopelessness, loss of interest, loss of
interest or pleasure in activities, mood swings, or sadness
Sleep: early awakening, excess sleepiness, insomnia, or restless sleep
Whole body: excessive hunger, fatigue, loss of appetite, or restlessness
Behavioral: agitation, excessive crying, irritability, or social isolation
Cognitive: lack of concentration, slowness in activity, or thoughts of suicide
Weight: weight gain or weight loss
Also common: poor appetite or repeatedly going over thoughts
Consult a doctor for medical advice
Sources: Mayo Clinic and others.

5. Media

6. You’re the Worst
A comedic love story about what happens when
two toxic, self-destructive people fall in love
despite themselves and attempt the
impossible…...a relationship.
It’s second season featured perhaps television’s
ultimate depiction of the dark holes that people
crawl into during depressive episodes; and the
ripple effect this has on family, friends, and
partners.

7. Chris Geere
As Jimmy Shive-Overly, a selfish and
insensitive British writer living in Los Angeles.
Jimmy excuses his insensitive behavior as
merely "telling it like it is".
Aya Cash
As Gretchen Cutler, a cynical and self-
destructive music PR executive with clinical
depression she mostly keeps hidden.
Desmin Borges
As Edgar Quintero, an Iraq War veteran
suffering from PTSD and Jimmy's best friend
and roommate.
Kether Donohue
As Lindsay Jillian (née Cottumaccio),
Gretchen's "loose" best friend who "sold out"
by marrying a nerdy man for his money.

8. Connection

9. “Okay, so here’s an interesting thing that you don’t
know about me: I am clinically depressed. It’s been
going on my whole life so I’m actually really good at
handling it. It strikes me whenever and I have no idea
why, but it’s fine. I’m sorry I never told you — slipped
my mind! And who knows? With the right attitude this
could be a really fun adventure for everyone. So the
only thing I need from you is to not make a big deal of
it and be okay with how I am and the fact that you can’t
fix me.”
Washington Post
The last few minutes of the season’s fourth
episode are the first real indication that
something is wrong with Gretchen — she’s
shown sneaking out of the house in the
middle of the night and driving away. In a
later episode, Jimmy follows her and
discovers that she’s crying alone in her car.
The Washington Post

10. Depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, psychological,
social and environmental factors. People who have a family history of
depression, and people with serious chronic diseases such as heart disease or
cancer, are at an increased risk of depression. Major life changes, trauma and
stress can also bring about an episode of depression, although some episodes
of depression begin without any obvious external cause
Depression isn't a sign of weakness. It's not something you can just "snap out
of." It's an illness that requires professional treatment. Yet with the right care,
people can feel better.
Antidepressant medications can be helpful for reducing depression symptoms
in some people, especially in people with severe depression. Psychotherapy is
also an effective treatment, either alone or in combination with medications. The
benefits of psychotherapy may have an enduring effect that protects against
symptoms returning even after treatment is ended.

11. Depression isn't a sign of
weakness. It's not something
you can just "snap out of." It's
an illness that requires
professional treatment. Yet with
the right care, people can feel
better.

12. Antidepressant medications can be
helpful for reducing depression
symptoms in some people, especially
in people with severe depression.
Psychotherapy is also an effective
treatment, either alone or in
combination with medications. The
benefits of psychotherapy may have
an enduring effect that protects
against symptoms returning even after
treatment is ended.

13. You’re the Worst
Depression can sometimes make you selfish because you can't focus on anything but
your own shit, so there’s the urge to have a depression dick-measuring contest to write
off the other person’s issues as not big enough or to dismiss someones sadness
because you don’t think it’s as important as yours. You just win because your condition
is listed in the DSM. Jimmy sarcastically snarks at one point because Gretchen has
a diagnosed problem….clinical depression, whereas Jimmy's issues have always
been more abstract, never explicitly defined. It also feels impossible to support
and help your partner when you don't have the strength or energy to help
yourself, which causes Gretchen and Jimmy to alternate between isolating
themselves and lashing out at each other. But what's always been most realistic
about “You're the Worst” is that there are never any set solutions. Gretchen and
Jimmy sort of make up over something silly—bonding over the weird incestuous
erotic novel he's been writing—but when they go to bed at night, they realize that
didn't actually solve anything.

14. Conclusion
It’s my opinion that the writer of You’re the Worst may suffer with clinical
depression or has had a close family member suffer with the mood disorder. His
connection with depression is very real. In Season 2, episode 7 Jimmy watches
as Gretchen sneaks out of their apartment late one night and drives to a remote
area and sits in her car crying. She has no real emotion tied into her crying , she
just does it. She has learned to accept that when her depression hits this is what
her mind needs to do...Cry….and drink.There is one scene where Gretchen the
main character, in full clinical depression mode, and drunk, rips into each of her
friends with hurtful words announcing each of their shortcoming, showing them
just how broken each of them are, ironically, she is the most broken of the bunch.

15. References
Mayo Clinic.org
Washington Post
Vice.com
Wikipedia