Quote Originally Posted by Chen View Post
I think both of you are missing the point. There is nothing wrong with needing help. The term "a cry for help" has connotations to it though, and they are generally negative. This is how the phrase has evolved. As far as I've experienced its never the person who needs the help who uses the phrase. Its others seeing an action of someone who needs help and uses it like "Oh, action X is a cry for help from that person". I've never personally heard someone say "I did X as a cry for help". The phrase is what the comic was fighting against using THE EXACT arguments you guys are. I understood the comic to be preaching about not using the phrase since most people know the negative connotation of the phrase and as such the use of the phrase is denigrating towards the person who needs the help.
I'd argue that it is you who is missing the point. I've never heard it used as a negative connotation, not in the way you suggest, and if it is, it is that connotation which should be fought, not the phrase.

And it doesn't matter who uses the phrase. In many cases, a depressed or mentally ill person cannot or will not see certain things the way they are. It is unlikely that they would call it any variation of "a cry for help", regardless of the connotation.