Reply #8: Depression is a monster [View All]

[bling bling]

People who have not experienced it will never know what it is like until they have experienced it. They can only summon up empathy using their own experiences of being sad or blue or down in the dumps.

Even though I've been through it, I have absolutely no idea how to "cure it." I don't know if there is a cure, other than time. The only advice I have is for the people who have a loved one with depression, and that advice is to not give unsolicited advice.

Advice made me crazy. "Just do this" or "maybe you should try this" or "what I do when I feel like that is...." Even if it was GOOD advice, involving healthy things like exercise or getting out or whatever, I couldn't take it. It's hard to explain.

Depression is maddening, for everyone involved.

P.S. This was not directed at anything said in the OP. Just my .02 on the topic. I'm glad this topic was brought up here as I have extensive personal experience and a great deal of interest in the subject.