One thought that I have frequently is that everyone has "something." Although I am an atheist also, I will use this analogy, "everyone has a cross to bear." The older I get, the more I am convinced that everyone is dysfunctional and laden with some kind of challenge.

As you probably know, the actor, Michael J. Fox, has Parkinson's. People are always commenting on his unwavering optimism and attitude in the face of all his struggles. In a TV interview one night, he tells of a legend he heard. In the legend, God has everyone in the world standing in a giant circle. He tells everyone, you must go into the world with some issue to overcome. However, once everyone has thrown their issue into the middle of the circle, each may choose the issue he wants. It ends with everyone choosing the same issue they already had.

Yes, this is a fictional story, but it originated from somewhere. What burden would you choose if you could - physical abuse, sexual abuse, autism, cancer, personality disorder, kidnapping, wheelchair, death of a child, war veteran, Parkinson's? What alternative would you choose to depression?

Of course, if you believe that other people do not have a burden or cross to deal with, then you can't apply this idea. I don't know how old you are, but the one more lives, the more one realizes that others do not have it as well as it may appear.

Depression is horrible, and I struggle with it as well. But are other disorders, diseases, and problems less horrible? I don't know. You are clearly a very intelligent person. I can't relate to the inferior/superior constructs, but I do know that I often want to escape my pain because it feels unbearable.