[Mental Illness Thread]

Great thread by the way! Never thought I would see this on a Zep site. You know, Zep heads tend to be the most intelligent fans. Doubt I would see this on say a ACDC site(no offense ACDC fans). ZEP fans rock and unite!

[Mental Illness Thread]

I think I understand what you're saying. I really like your statement "You are human with a heart that can't handle the hell."

The problem with clinical depression (in my own experience) is that things can be going very well in my world, but it doesn't matter, I'm still clinically depressed. It's a chemical imbalance. It's not like a "normal" short-lived depression, where you lose your job, or you get a divorce, or something similar, and then you go through a totally necessary period of depression from which you can expect to recover.

Clinical depression can be completely debilitating, and it doesn't need a reason to exist. I can ask myself, "What the hell is wrong with you? You've got so much to be thankful for. An amazing husband you're crazy about, who loves you back. Beautiful children and precious grandchildren." But the chemical imbalance in my brain keeps me from enjoying life and even makes me want to die so I won't have to suffer anymore.

I don't claim to be an expert in psychiatry, I'm just speaking from 40+ years of personal experience with clinical depression. And I want to do whatever I can to support others who are going through the same thing.

The term itself is wrong. There is depression as you describe which is normal. The debilitating kind is something else and should not even be called depression in order to differentiate it. I think this step would make things more understandable to people that have no idea what this type of depression does. It is not depression but something else..hmm, since there is not a proper name yet I will call it No Quarter disease...yeah, thats it...seriously, it needs a different title to alleviate the society stigma associated with normal depression