Hilarious World of Depression (Moe) - Discussion Questions

Discussion Questions
We'll add publisher questions if and when they're available; in the meantime, use our LitLovers talking points to help start a discussion for THE HILARIOUS WORLD OF DEPRESSION … then take off on your own:

1. This book is a personal account of John Moe's battle with depression. He says that after years of depressive thoughts, his wife urged him to find help for what he refers to as his desire "not so much to die as simply not to be alive anymore." Do you understand what Moe means? Does that comment have any resonance with you?

2. Talk about Moe's family background, especially his father's alcoholism and brother's addiction. To what degree has his family history contributed to his own depression?

3. (Follow-up to Question 2) What is known about the hereditary aspects of depression?

4. Moe says he came to recognize the signs of depression early in his life—in middle school. What particular symptoms during those adolescent years did Moe see in himself?

5. What effect does his brother's suicide have on Moe? He writes of a "salad of regret, anger, confusion, and horror."

6. Moe digs deeply into the various characteristics of depression. Talk about the problems of identifying the disorder and then acknowledging it, of self-medicating, and of the way depression affects the lives of families and loved ones.

6. If you are comfortable doing so in a group, talk about how Moe's book relates to your own life—if not to you, specifically, than perhaps to to someone you know and love, a family member or a friend.

7. Why the book's title: what is "hilarious" about depression?

8. Talk about what led up to Moe's podcast, which has the same name as his book. Have you listened to the podcast?

9. Are you surprised at some of the well-known people who suffer with depression? Do you know others?

10. What have you learned about depression after reading this book? What in particular surprised you? Do you ever think that, as a society, we have over diagnosed depression—and we are over-medicated—as some skeptics have claimed? Or do you think the disorder is actually under-diagnosed?

(Questions by LitLovers. Please feel free to use them, online and off, with attribution. Thanks.)

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