If Michelle Obama deals with low-grade depression, considering her successful life, then someone like me, with lifelong severe & mostly untreated-till-recently depression, should be considered a success just getting out of bed at least once a day, let alone holding down a job. And somehow I don't feel like such an abject failure at life, even though the implication may be that maybe I should because even she can get depressed but can also get over it…
I sure didn't have the right "tools" to overcome depression or to live like a normal person most my life. I still can't live like a normal person. At least I am working. And I'm less depressed most of the time on Venlafaxine. Nothing else ever really worked well on me till I tried this. And I'm not 100% out of the woods there either. But most days, I'm better than I was before I started taking an antidepressant.
@Astartiel Even though we ultimately have to do the work, without the right tools and the right help it can be nearly impossible to dig our way out. I'm glad you found one tool. Don't stop there. It takes multiple tools to complete a task. I'm here rooting for you.
@Vozy Yeah, at nearly 50, I can say I'm almost there. Didn't think it was really possible for me.
@Astartiel I had 2 good tools for years, but until I found the 3rd one, I was up and down, sometimes really down. #PTSD #GAD 😩 I found the 3rd tool this year. At 67 years old, I can now say that I am happy for the first time in my life.