hi nigel, welcome!!!! great thread! accepting and befriending it helps. when i'm down i give myself "permission" to be quiet,etc and give it time to lift. i know it will run it's course. most recent spiral down lasted 2 months but intellectually i knew it would leave just as fast as it came so i waited it out. there are self destructive methods/not for me tho..and i find that it is counter productive since depression is a part of my life. not a good part but realistically it's there sometimes or comes to visit. long stretch recently but now i am the new and improved me again! thank goodness.