On Depression

First of all, I’m feeling better today.

Thanks to the handful of people who sent me kind notes. You are true friends. Your words have caused me to re-commit myself to offering comfort whenever I see pain expressed by my online friends, even if I feel like I know nothing about the person or the situation. You can be plenty popular and get loads responses to posts about politics or lolcats or sex, but everything gets quiet when you start wearing your heart on your virtual sleeve. I’ve been guilty of saying nothing because I felt I had nothing useful to add; but sometimes it’s just the fact that someone took the time to say anything at all that matters.

Occasional depression is something I’m prone to, as anyone who’s known me longer than a year probably knows. I consider it the price I pay for my highs, and for the ability to do creative work. I have contemplated medication from time to time. But as the moods only strike with any force a few times a year; and since, as yet, they have never caused me to abdicate my core responsibilities to my family and friends; I have so far chosen to just ride out the storms.