Hi Lichen,

I think you'll find a community of people here who hear you, won't judge you, and (importantly for me) can understand where you're coming from in a way that many people you know in real life who've never dealt with depression or other mental health issues struggle to grasp.

It sounds like you have some great interests in your life that can help you to feel alive and grounded. I hope you use the forums here to fill in some of the areas it sounds like you're looking for...empathy, support, etc. I find the boards here helpful for this.

Welcome!