Most recently I went through a claustrophobic and dark winter where it took all of my strength to just keep plodding through day by day. A cold and gloomy winter, frustration about my job, stalled projects, constant lack of sleep and adjusting to living without 20 doses of nicotine a day all wore on my soul and sapped my energy.
The insidious thing about depression is that it takes determination and energy to beat it, but like an emotional infection it targets all the energy and determination you have. In a twist of dark irony, depression seems to specifically weaken the tools you need to stand up to it – your relationships, your ambition, your sense of humor.
So what do you when you’re at work sitting in front of a computer trying and failing to concentrate on the code in front of you? What if even the most straightforward requirements seem like impenetrable nests of complications and edge cases to your tired mind?
The only criticism I have of the post is that it does a bit of cure evangelism, advocating that medication should be your first choice — as opposed to saying “this is what worked for me.” The comments are much worse in this regard (“Skip the drugs”), but as usual, don’t read the comments.
Everyone’s path to wellness is different. This isn’t Python: there is no One True Way to mental health.
