Could somebody please tell me that when you have been diagnosed with depression since age 13, been hospitalized for it, and had many recurrent episodes, it's *OK* to be depressed? Everybody else around me thinks I'm being self-indulgent, when what I am is depressed as hell. One "friend" decided it would be nice to tell me about her friend who's had 3 rounds of chemo that failed, is now going into experimental treatment, and is just the most chipper, upbeat, wonderful person on earth in spite of it.

Yay for her. Some people are naturally upbeat, no matter what. Some people are not. I am not. I have plenty of trauma in my past, I am dealing with an illness which nearly killed me and still has the potential to, dealing with the loss of my job, income, health insurance, independence, etc, and it's pretty damn hard to be upbeat when everything is falling apart around me. Personally, I think there's something wrong with that woman that she ISN"T depressed! LOL

I just am having a hard time right now with the curveballs life has thrown me, and I need to know I'm not bad or stupid or selfish for having a hard time with it.

Candy