“Openly” in the headline throws me off. Imagine the difference between:

Depression isn’t feeling sad. It’s feeling that you’re in a black pit that wants to swallow you up.

As someone who has both serious mental health issues and serious financial issues, I feel the need to point out here that sure, being able to afford primo help is presumably better than trying to slog it out on your own, unassisted by professionals but it’s not as easy as hiring a housecleaner - presto! clean house!…

My wife is back so I think it will be, thanks.

I completely agree that removing the stigma is so important, but I have to say, I don’t like the term “completed suicide” either. It almost sounds like a positive thing. Usually the word “complete” is used to show approval or a good outcome - you completed a test or you feel complete. As someone who has suffered from…

The worst part of depression is the self-awareness. You know you’re not a terrible person, you can objectively see areas of life in which you are achieving, you know your family would never want you to feel this way or find you in the basement, but you DO feel that way anyway and that in itself is depressing.

Sorry you went through that. I had a bad episode on Monday myself. We just have to take it one day at a time and not be too hard on ourselves. I hope your weekend is better.

It was a beautiful and moving ode to someone who is gone.

Well done on coping, getting yourself through it, and riding out the storm. The way you handled that was a fucking triumph, and don’t ever forget it.

Like Carly said, we don’t know you, but we care.

Thank you. I think there is a huge danger in assuming all depression is the same.

I’m sorry to read this, but I understand exactly how you feel. I probably wouldn’t be here today if not for my dog, because he’s the only creature on this earth who depends on me and loves me every day. But it’s a thin rope to hold on to. I often feel like there’s just no place for me in this world. It’s hard to know…

I appreciate her pain and honesty, but I disagree with her description of depression.

I’m with you on this. I recently had a friend who was upset about a neighbor killing himself, and how they would’ve helped “if they knew” and how awful it was, etc etc. And all I could think was, “I’ve been there, I understand how he feels, and the only reason I’m still here is because of medication, but you never…

As someone who has suffered for depression longer I think I did not, I can only agree, echo, reinforce everything said here.

I’m sorry you’re having such a hard time right now. I’m pulling for you, internet stranger.

The hard part for me is that even when I do talk about it, and people assure me that I’m great/wonderful/blah blah blah, I still don’t believe them, because at the end of the day, no one wants to be with me, spend time with me, hang out with me, invite me to things. Words mean nothing. Show someone you care.

Hi just letting you know that the preferred language by those of us fighting the stigma is ‘died from suicide’, not ‘committed suicide’. Changing the language is part of changing the shame and stigma. Here’s a good guide. https://www.spanidaho.org/uploads/SUICID…

I just recently emerged from one of the most severe depressions of my life and I find this very touching.