Good Book (on Tape)

This book is worth the experience. Andrew Solomon tells the story of his major depression, as well as the experiences of others, with honesty and candour. It's not always pretty, but it's valuable to see into another person's life. And despite some of the awfulness he talks about, there is much wise reflection, and there are other parts that are so funny. At times I nodded and hmmm'ed; at other times I actually laughed out loud.
Here are some of my favorites:

When I began to experience anxiety and major depression the second time around, while I was still in the shadow of my first depression, I recognized what was happening... I knew about three days ahead of time that I was heading for rock bottom... I warned my father. I tried to make the practical arrangements. Losing your mind, like losing your car keys, is a real hassle. Out of the terror I heard my voice holding on tight to irony when friends called. "I'm sorry, I'll have to cancel Tuesday," I said. "I'm afraid of lamb chops again."

In the wake of my prior publications on depression, I have received hundreds of letters from people in nine different countries and most of the fifty states who, touchingly, have wanted to let me know about alternative treatments. One woman from Michigan wrote that after years of trying every medication she had finally found the true solution, which was "doing things with yar n."...
My experience is that no one, no matter how lunatic he may seem at first glance, is completely off base. Many people achieve astonishingly good results with batty sounding projects...
It is my absolute belief that in the field of depression there is no such thing as a placebo. If you have cancer and try an exotic treatment and then you think you are better, you may well be wrong. If you have depression and try an exotic treatment and think you are better, then you are better. Depression is a disease of thought processes and emotions, and if something changes your thought processes and emotions in the correct direction, that qualifies as a recovery.

Great misery does not make me suicidal, but occasionally in a depression something small will overwhelm me and I get a ridiculous feeling. There are too many dirty dishes in this kitchen, and I don't have the stamina to clean them. Perhaps I will just kill myself!