Thank you so much for writing about your experience. This disease almost killed me, I got to the point of not being able to get out of bed. Thank god a wonderful psycho-pharmacologist found the right cocktail of meds that completely changed my distorted self-destructive thinking which I call "depression think". I'll be on meds the rest of my life which is fine with me since they work so well. And therapy continues.

But beyond that, like you I must do my part. It's my tendency to isolate and I have to drag myself out and get active. Fortunately I live in New York and can just walk out of my apartment; that action snaps me out of it a lot. Fast walking, being around people is a lifesaver. Still, it's a struggle to do that. I must also pay attention to my thinking, that it's not going into "depression think". I've learned the difference between being down or feeling depressed and "depression think", that distorted self-destructive spiral into darkness. When I feel down or depressed, I can get myself out by taking an action. But when "depression think" kicks in I can't, I must call the doctor quickly.

Thanks so much for your post, I picked up some useful tips from you.