kag101

July 23rd, 12:28 PM I have recently started to read a book called "The Success Principles For Teens - Jack Canfield and Kent Healy". I have had it for since 2013. I think I am finally ready to read it, without becoming a neurotic self-help junkie. It's a very "stage Orange" book. That being said, it is really important to ace stage Orange before getting into the higher levels of SD; otherwise, it is an incomplete "evolution". As with most self-help books, it talks a lot about 1) Setting Goals >> Big >> Specific >> Written down 2) Visualization >> The more detail, the better >> Use all senses >> Exaggerate (especially on the emotional aspect) 3) Affirmations >> Start with "I Am" >> Use the present continuous >> Do it as if the thing had already happened. (Example: "I am loving earning six figures") NUTSHELL: It's all simple stuff that we all have heard about it before, but they are all very powerful techniques. IDEA: Do a 30-day challenge of focusing on these three things for 5-10 minutes per day. TRAP: Doing self-help techniques too much is a trap. 5-10 minutes is ENOUGH. REMINDERS: 1) Self-help should not be boring, long, and exhausting! 2) Self-help should be fun! 3) I have a tendency to taking things too seriously. My new affirmations: (not really, lol) 5-10 minutes of self-help daily is ENOUGH! Self-help should be FUN! PLAN: Here's what I will do in the next 1-3 days: 1) Think about a challenge to do in regard of self-help. 2) For now, I am trying to set the command in my subconscious mind to not take the book so seriously. Thank you for reading! =)

Thank you!

“Dearest Inner Child, I'm so sorry if you ever felt hurt, abandoned, rejected or doubted by anyone in the past, or if you've ever felt that I’ve lived in a way that has excluded you from my experience; made you feel less than, humiliated; if I judged you by calling you an ego, by thinking you are a barrier to God, or something for me to get away from; as if you weren’t a pivotal part of my journey, as if you weren’t the guardian to my highest Self. And I'm so sorry if my interest in spirituality made you feel like the invisible sibling that's never enough for my attention. I'm sorry if lovers seemed more important than loving you. And when you felt unsafe around the people I surrounded myself with, I'm sorry I did not hear your request. And instead, tried to desperately make people that made you feel unsafe validate my existence instead of keeping you safe. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. Let this moment be a restart where we make peace, allowing the mind and heart to reunite. And we come together in the Oneness of Love to engage in Consciousness so that the war within myself can end. And I can finally feel the joy of being myself as a conscious parent to my own innocence, who no longer has to act so desperately to earn my loving approval, and no longer has to create existential crisis in order to motivate me to send love to you. I love you. I am sorry. Please forgive me. I did not know how deeply you were hurt. And I vow, from this moment forward, to be the one that keeps you safe, that allows you to speak whatever you need to say, that listens to anything you want to share, and that loves and adores you, as only I can love and adore you.”

What do you mean by dying?? Good point. I think that when the inner child is healed, the answer to that question becomes quite obvious...

July 21st, 1:55 PM STABILITY I have been feeling quite stable lately. This is a huge blessing. I don’t ever want to have a depressive or euphoric episode again. And if I do have it, I know I have to take quick action (calling my psychiatrist, for example). I have gone through too much suffering already. Over the past 12 years, I have lived on and off in hell. That’s more than enough. I don’t need that anymore. THANK GOD THE MEDICATION IS WORKING I am very grateful that Seroquel XRO is working well for me. And I honestly don’t feel any side effect. I have been gaining weight, but that was already happening prior to me taking it. In fact, what really makes me gain weight is binging, which happens a lot when depression is present. So I cannot say the medication caused that. In fact, it has helped me control my cravings. I WISH THINGS HAD BEEN DIFFERENT I wish I had started the treatment sooner back when I was 11, which was when I went to my first psychologist. I have had 10-12 of them, and because they were so shitty, it was like fighting a war in the dark. HAVING LIVED IN HELL HAS ITS BENEFITS But that’s okay. If things had been easier in my life, I wouldn’t be so “wise” and empathetic. In my war against depression, I lost most of my teenage years; I gained weight; and I have a receding hairline (which was very likely caused by my emotional turmoil). But it is nothing big. I still had fun moments in my teenage years; I can go back to my "body’s natural shape”; and I still have hair. NO MORE DEPRESSION That being said, I CANNOT afford being depressed any longer. It is just a too high of a price to pay. Not only for the physical aspect, but also the emotional one. I can’t tolerate feeling shitty anymore. It's too painful and too self-destructive. I know I am not the best person in the world, but I am also not the worse also. I have gifts, and I want a life of wellness and prosperity. In a way, I feel like the world needs me. I am unique. I have gone through tough times, and I love human psychology. So I can help tons of people. >> I can be the psychologist I wished for when I was 11 << NO DEPRESSION = NO PROBLEMS I think I have written about this already, but lately I feel like anything is manageable, doable. Being in various depressive episodes throughout the last decade, I now have a very strong resilience and tolerance to emotional discomfort. Nothing in the outside world can intimidate as much as how I used to feel internally (in silence). WHY I WOULD NEVER OPEN UP I would not tell about how I was feeling to people, because I thought it was too deep, and that they wouldn’t understand. Not only this, people love giving unsolicited advice. And that was the last thing I needed. STIFF BODY - BEFORE AND NOW Depression makes the whole body stiff and achy. Generalized anxiety gives generalized tension. I do have some muscular discomforts right now, but it is nowhere near as intense as it used to be. I am feeling low on energy today, and -- again -- it is incomparable to how depression feels like. I know that this uncomfortable feelings and sensations will pass sooner or later. With depression, however, it feels as if it is going to last forever. DEALING WITH COMPARISON AND BULLYING Also, in regards to comparing myself to others and dealing with bullying, right now my attitude towards that is much softer than before. I would ruminate about how I was worse than someone; or when someone would insult me, I would think about that a lot. BACK ON MY FEET I am regaining my self-love and self-confidence. I don’t want a high self-esteem; I want a healthy self-esteem. I know that I have flaws and that I too make mistakes, but I also know that I am worthy of love and respect from my own self and from others. Thanks for reading! (:

Some points on this: >> For a very long time, I was in battle with myself in order to make new "healthy" habits. I would be very rigid with myself. I would adopt the "just do it" strategy. But that only works in the short run. >> >> I'd also label myself as "lazy and unproductive". At 19, I went to a psychiatrist who told me I had depression clinical. >> I was addicted to improving myself, to making new habits. I was addicted to having no addictions. >> Ever since i started taking the right medication, I am naturally disciplined. Sometimes my "dictator" self still creeps in trying to make myself a robot, but nowadays I quickly recognize it. Then, I let go of it, and I make sure to be kinder to myself.

This is what the medical community says. Hair loss is heavily linked to the genetics of the mom's side.

July 18th, 6:33 PM BAD SLEEP Today I slept very badly. I woke up in a very bad mood. But it was very different than how I feel when I am depressed. Deep down, I knew that if I took a nap, I would wake up feeling better. That doesn’t happen with depression. No matter how many hours I sleep, the unpleasant feelings are still there. POWERFUL NAP I took a 90-minute nap, and it felt really refreshing. That showed me how fragile being a human is. If I stop being able to sleep, or poop, or breathing; my well-being disappears. But in a way, it is a relief to have an external cause for my unhappiness. There’s nothing worse than feeling shitty as fuck while everything in the external world is fine. DEPRESSION, AN INVISIBLE ILLNESS I have dealt for too long with an invisible illness that makes things very hard to do, and not only that, I also dealt with the prejudice of others. For a very long time, I thought I was a lazy spoiled person. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It was a daily battle against the biochemistry of my brain. No pleasure. I wasn’t living; I was surviving. And I am so grateful for myself for being able to handle The Dark Night of The Soul for more than a decade! This is just unimaginable for most people. DEEP HEALING, DEEP PATIENCE I am going through a deep healing phase. The divorce of my parents was an atomic bomb. It was a very deep emotional trauma. And I survived it! I may not yet see the world as a friendly and safe place for now, but I know that sooner or later, I will be living in Heaven on Earth. Not that everyday will be filled with joy. But I know that I will be in my natural state. Spiritual Enlightenment Is Our Natural State THE PAST REVERBERATES IN THE PRESENT I still feel lonely at times. I still panic and think i will break down. There is this pervasive fear that I will go downhill, and that I will have to cancel all of my projects. I was having some anxiety over the children’s play I will do at the end of the year. But this anxiety passed. SIMPLER WAY TO TAKE MEDICATION It is so easy to underestimate taking my medication correctly. Nothing can help me more than this habit. 1) Take 4 pills of 50 mg when I wake up. (200 mg) 2) Take 2 pills of 25 mg in the morning. (50 mg) 3) Take 2 pills of 25 mg in the afternoon. (50 mg) 4) Take 4 pills of 100 in the evening (400 mg) Total: 600 mg per day I think that's the way to be in a stable humor. PLAN FOR THE REST OF THE DAY I will do some meditation. Be very kind to myself today. And try to have a good time. Tomorrow is a new day! And I am closer and closer to my natural self.

1) Hair loss is heavily linked to Generalized Anxiety. Check in with a psychiatrist to see if that applies to you. 2) The most effective way to stop your hair from falling and, if you're lucky, to make it grow back is to combine Propecia + Minoxidil. It's a life-long treatment. Some people claim that Propecia makes you sexually impotent, but the research has showed that this happens with only 1% of the people. 3) Avoid washing your hair with hot water.

Good one! In my case, it was going to a qualified and experienced psychoanalyst. In my first consultation with her, she assertively said that I need to medication. I was in a moment of my life in which I was heavily into stage Green (yoga, veganism, meditation, etc); and I thought medication was evil and it would block my chakras. Little did I know, I had clinical depression -- which is what really blocks the chakras. I am very grateful for her for "breaking the spell" of my own psychophobia (https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Psychophobia). I somehow thought having clinical depression would make me less "spiritually evolved"... And I thought all psychiatrist were "low consciousness". Well, to be fair, most of them suck. But the one I found saved my life.

June 17th, 11:26 >> I feel very stable, conscious, alert. >> Mindfulness is not something I can train for; it is a natural feature of the sentient consciousness. >> Because humans have a very complex brain, thoughts can become a problem. We think so much, we forget that the mind is an instrument. If we don't control the mind, the mind controls us. >> I feel very intuitive. I am starting to appreciate my hits of intuition. >> Life seems to be flowing, finally. No need to do crazy-ass spiritual practices, or read books on deep topics. >> Enlightenment = trauma healed << >> Life itself is Heaven or Hell, depending on the state of consciousness. >> Shadow work is fundamental. >> Having a good therapist is fundamental. If you are trying to do shadow work alone, you're almost guaranteed to fall on your ass, or go to deep into the rabbit hole. >> I have written down all the times I will take my medication. This is very helpful to go through the day without panicking.

It doesn't matter. Stop making excuses, and go visualize! Lol

It is better to hospitalized than to live in a constant backlash of a rude awakening (aka The Dark Night Of The Soul)

MEDICATION SCHEDULE & STRATEGY: (for possibly the rest of the month) 1) 8-10 AM Wake up and take 200 mg of the prolonged liberation pills 2) 12-1 PM 25 mg immediate liberation 3) 3-4 PM 25 mg immediate liberation 4) 4-6 PM 25 mg immediate liberation 5) 8 - 9 PM 25 mg immediate liberation 6) 10-11 PM 300 mg immediate liberation Total: 500 mg OTHER GUIDELINES: > As soon as I get up, I will set the alarms on my phone for when I will take the pills. > Take from 1-3 times of the painkiller I like to use. > Nap, if I feel like it, from 20-90 minutes. > Stop by myself and gradually with the pregabalin (which is a medication that doesn't do shit to me) COMMENTARY: That’s a way more realistic strategy. I am in a moment of slowing down and have smaller expectations on myself, and taking maybe a higher dosage than the "ideal". My next consultation with the psychiatrist will be on the 31st. Until then, I think this strategy will allow me to feel stable. PS: I think I will print this and put it on my room's wall.

HOW THE CONSULTATION WENT I was feeling very confused and tensed up while I was there. I had this pervasive fear of being judged as a “whiner”, "weak", etc. However, my psychiatrist was very patient, open, and nice with me. We decided to increase the dosage of my current medication, and we’ll see how I feel until the end of the month. FUCK MY PSYCHOLOGIST. I WILL NAP IF I WANT TO! Then, I went home and took a nap. My psychologist told me I should avoid napping, but to be honest I am glad I did it. I feel refreshed. And it’s one thing to “nap” for 4 hours (like I used to do) and nap for 90 minutes. TENSED OR IN PAIN? PAINKILLER IT IS! I woke up like 10 minutes ago. I feel very tensed in my shoulders and neck. But that's something a painkiller can take care of. I definitely feel calmer. MY EXACT NEW DOSAGE + SOS PILLS A important thing you guys need to know: my fixed dosage is now 500 mg daily, and I can take up to 4 pills of 25 mg throughout the day in case I feel bad. It's an SOS type of thing. SOMETHING MY PSYCHIATRIST SAID I DIDN'T AGREE The doctor said that the antidepressant and anti-psychotic properties of this medication take a few days to kick in. I am not sure I fully agree with this. I have had moments where I was depressed or too agitated, and taking it helped me calm down. He said in this case it is only a hypnotic effect. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EXTRA PILLS (SOS) For the rest of the month, I will take the increased dosage, and at least for the next week, plan to take the 4 extra pills everyday. I do not think I will have the discipline to do that for a long time, but I think in the short run, it is something important. Those extra pills often have a “placebo” benefit. I convince myself to do something by telling myself: “Ok, I will go there, and as soon as I am there, I will take one pill.” He said that I should drop the idea that this medication will make more energized. He said that my “volition” was low, which is basically my will-power, but I didn’t agree with that. Today, specifically, I was feeling lazy and unmotivated, but that’s not my baseline. INTUITIVE HIT As soon as I got home, I made a phone wallpaper written “TRUST YOURSELF”; It is very easy to let the opinions of psychologists or psychiatrists be more important than my own. In moments of emotional vulnerability, we often belittle ourselves. But following my intuition (despite what others were saying) was really important to have many blessings in my life, such as meeting two of my closest friends. MY PSYCHOLOGIST'S ADVICE ARE USELESS Another thing my psychologist recommended me that I will not folow is to avoid seeing “dark” stuff. I have been reading a book about bipolar disorder called "An Unquiet Mind", and i was really excited by it, but then I thought it would be better to stop reading it. I mean, what is the problem with that? If what I am naturally leaning to is “darker” stuff, then what is the problem? Should I only do butterfly-and-rainbows kind of thing? Sure, I don’t think I should overindulge in negative things, but this book, for example, is a biography of one of the highest authorities on maniac-depressive illness (aka bipolar disorder). It can be a huge inspiration to me! STOP PANICKING OVER LITTLE STUFF. No problem is unsolvable. I often think things are worse than they actually are. I demand perfection in my life, so whenever something slightly bad is happening, I panic; I think it is the end of the world. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Reminder to myself: It is okay if I take painkillers for a while. It is okay if I take a slightly higher dosage of my medication. The real thing I should worry about is repressing my thoughts and emotions, and being "a good boy" all the time. Because when i do that, things come back stronger and uglier. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Radical honesty is not overexposure and orversharing!

Day 23 - 7-16-2019 Weight: 98,2 kg Commentary: I tried to install an app for keeping track of how much I eat, but I just didn't have the discipline to keep track of it. I also had a depressive episode that made overeat A LOT. Today I woke up feeling "unswollen", so I decided to weight myself. It was more or less 98,2 kg, which is not bad at all. I do admit that I have been eating more than I "should". Anyway, my initial goal was not to go beyond 100 kg in the 30 days. I want to schedule with a nutritionist I found online that has a "humanistic" approach. But I don't want to give up completely on this challenge. My "goal", once again, is to not go beyond 100 kg.

I have just scheduled a consultation with my psychiatrist for today. I will try to stay as honest as possible. In my opinion, the dosage should increase 100 mg daily. I will see what the psychiatrist tells me. I will also ask if it is possible to take all the pills at once at night, or if this is not a good strategy. And if I can I was planning to do some stuff with my friends, but I am just not feeling very well. But I am farily certain this is not depression; I am just grumpy. The weather is cold and cloudy today, so maybe that's it. I also tried to schedule a nutritionist today. I am glad it didn't work out, because it would have been too much. I have some pain in my body. It's very likely that it was caused by my mattress. I will try to convince my dad to buy me one by the end of the week. But anyway, the most important thing I have to do today is to go to the psychiatrist. Just showing up is enough. I will report how the consultation went later today (or tomorrow).

Haha! Good one!

Hello to all, New Journal - Cancelled I had created a new journal the following journal: I did that so that I could keep things more organized, but i think it is not the right time to do so. Guidelines For This Journal The main reason why I have this journal is to vent freely, without being a neurotic Virgo who likes things to be perfect. This journal can be a draft for a better journal in the future. I can experiment here as much as I want, without any pressure to do something "outstanding". I want to try it out different types writing, content, style etc. New Dosage of My Medication This new dosage of my medication is certainly better than the one I was taking. For so many years, I tried to have a way to take me out of depression. Never had I have thought that a medication could take me out of depression. I had so much preconceptions about the pharmaceutical industry. Thinking on the bright side, I now see how pivotal taking my meds are. It's a no-brainer. Nothing can do more good for me than taking my medication correctly. My doctor and I haven't figured out the exact dosage yet, but figuring that out is just a matter of time. My Friend's Friend My friend's friend is still here in my city. And I am so glad that I have been able to do stuff with him. He will stay here for 5 more days. I have been planning with him what to do. We can go visit my team's soccer stadium, watch the new Spider-Man at the movies, go to the Ibirapuera Park, play soccer at the local park, etc. Birthday Presents For My Close Friend Yesterday I bought some birthday presents for a close friend of mine. She always gives me cool stuff, and I had never given her any presents. It was fun to do so. It was also good to challenge my stingy part. Apart from that, we talked about depression. She is a spiritualist, so she is "against" medication. I tried to express my point of view and how much the right medication has helped me. I Have To Talk With My Psychiatrist Speaking of which, I think I need to talk to my doctor about increasing the dosage. I will text my dad to ask him what he thinks about this beforehand, because i don't know if it is better to talk to the psychiatrist by the phone or schedule a consultation. Thank you for reading!

OLD JOURNAL I have been writing a journal here called “Keeping Track of My Depression” , but I decided that it is time to start a new volume. For three reasons: First of all, keeping track of depression is not enough; I must actively seek strategies to confront it. Second of all, depression is depression; it is not “my” depression. Third of all, that journal was a big mess. I might organize the texts later on. I might write a book on this RECAP I started a psychiatric treatment on November of 2018. I experimented with a few medications, and I have finally found one that works really well with me! This by itself is a great victory. The thing I have to remind myself over and over again is that if I stop using it, I will backslide, and those ugly thoughts and emotions will come back to haunt me. A WRONG DECISION CAUSED A DEPRESSIVE EPISODE Three days ago, my psychiatrist had the idea of reducing the dosage, and add a new antidepressant. That was a bad idea. Result: I had my first depressive episodes in three months. I was sleeping too much; eating too goddamn much; and isolating myself. All of which are classical signs of depression. PSYCHIATRIST MADE UP FOR HIS MISTAKE Thankfully, he is a “talkable” psychiatrist, so not only did he not reduced the dosage, but he actually increased it. That was the right move, in my opinion. After all, I now feel stable once again. I went to my best friend’s birthday party yesterday, and it was so much fun! I was very relaxed and was enjoying the moment. WEIGHT GAIN As I mentioned earlier, I am also trying to lose some weight. But after this depressive episode, I can see how there is no rush in doing so. I clearly gained weight due to depression. There is no doubt, because when I am “normal” I do not binge. I do like to eat wheat and sweets, but it is nothing big. GETTING BACK IN TOUCH WITH MY DAD, AND HIS FAMILY Another important thing is that I am trying to get back in touch with my dad and his family. I am going to my psychologist today with him. I think it will go well. THINGS I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH BY THE END OF THE YEAR (DEC/19) > Get back to teaching English and Portuguese. Have 5-10 regular students (weekly classes) > Do a children's theater play in Christmas > Have 5-10K followers on my Facebook, Instragram, and Youtube pages. THANK GOD DEPRESSION IS GONE I will go to a soccer match with two friends. I am really glad depression is not there, because it would make that moment very hard to enjoy. Thanks for reading! And if you think you have depression, seek help ASAP. Thing is, you have to find a good professional. PS: I will likely edit this post later today. This is a draft version.

A lot of people are full of themselves here. They confuse mental illness with spiritual enlightenment. Quite pathetic, if you ask me...

July 12th, 10:43 PM Good-bye, Depression! Good news! I am off of the depressive episode. I talked with my doctor today, and we agreed to stay with the same medication and to actually increase the dosage. I am glad he is a talkable psychiatrist. He may be like a robot, but he’s actually pretty nice and understanding. Having this mini-depressive episode was quite beneficial in a way, because now I see what depression really looks like. It is indeed an illness, and it is real. It is such a relief to be out of it. I am so glad I took the initiative to seek help. Depression is a very illness that incapacitates. It robs all your energy and vitality. It makes you feel like retard. And it makes you feel like you’re a waste of space. It’s terrible. Going To My Psychologist While Depressed The fact that I went to my psychologist earlier today was key. I decided to go to her, despite how I was feeling. And we had a very good conversation. She is really good because she makes me hold my horses. I tend to be very anxious, and my thoughts are all over the place. And when I talk with her, she makes sure that I am taking one action at a time. I have come to realize that virtually anything is possible as long as depression is not there. With depression, everything becomes a burden. And it is no use trying to “force” yourself to do something. It doesn’t work like that. If you’re depressed, and you brute force yourself to do something, the result will be shitty. Sometimes you do need to do something despite you not wanting to do so. But with right medication, this type of will-power is not needed. Depression is like having a fever. Doing things while you have a fever is very challenging and it can even be unhealthy, because it can prolong it. When the fever is gone, then you can do things much more naturally and easily. Analogously speaking, when depression is not present, things are easy as a pie. I am not saying there aren’t difficult things in life, but after having lived for more than 12 years with clinical depression, almost nothing seems hard. Everything is doable. You also get a lot of empathy and compassion for others. Because you have suffered so much, you are able to help people get out of hell. Best Friend's Party I went to my best friend’s birthday today. I was such in a light mood that I was able to cheer everybody up. I was feeling very relaxed. No social anxiety whatsoever. Man, I love my medication, seriously. That is a pill from Jesus, haha. Yeah science, bitch! Tomorrow I will go to my psychologist with my dad in the morning. Then, in the evening, I will go to a soccer game with a couple of friends. I am sure it will be a good day

July 11th, 4:53 PM Hello, Depression, My Old Friend... Damn, I wasn't expecting depression to come back. I went to my psychiatrist yesterday, and he prescribed me a new antidepressant that I already used. I was like, "I don't need this. I am not depressed." Then, as soon as I got out of his office, I started to feel very low on energy, my self-esteem was terrible. I was downtown, and I would compare myself to every single person thinking that I was a loser compared to them. I was feeling very lonely. Then, I slept for about 10 hours. I thought I was "depressed" because I was tired. But I think it is safe to say that I was not. I took a nap today, and I just woke up. And, I don't know, I am just not feeling ok. I am feeling how I used to feel in the beginning of the year. Very sleepy and with no will to do anything. My best friend's birthday is tomorrow, and I just don't feel like going to see him or my other friends. I will have to limit how much time I spend there for my own good. Then, on Saturday (two days from now), I will go with my friends to a soccer game. I honestly would prefer to not go, but since I already bought the tickets, and they are very excited to go, I will go. I will survive. I have a psychologist consultation tomorrow morning, and I will tell her how I am feeling. She's very supportive. And I will make sure to buy the new antidepressant today. I can't fool myself: I am too low. This is not normal. Nothing in my life happened for me to feel so blues. Last time I used that medication was about three months ago. And I was using it with another antidepressant. Result: I started to feel very euphoric. But my doctor told me that this probably happened due to the other antidepressant. I have to try... I don't want to feel depressed. And I am anxious to feel okay once again. The antidepressant takes about 2 weeks to have some effect. And in the meantime, I will have to try to reduce the damage of the depression as much as I can. I was already feeling very anxious in the beginning of the week, so that was a sign that a depression episode was going to come up. I thought I would be able to deal with a depressive episode quite well, because I already have knowledge of it. But let me tell you: nothing can prepare you for depression. When it hits you, it makes you feel completely disempowered, as if you are the worst human being in the world, the weakest one. It messes up with your brain's chemistry. It makes everything 10x harder. But, hey, I have been there before. I know it sucks, but today I have a much stronger support. Depression makes me believe that "my case is unique", "I will not get through it". But that's a lie. I will get through it, and there are a lot of ways to tackle depression. The variety of antidepressants are huge. And I don't need to hurry any results. If I can manage to find the right medication by the end of the year, that is a big result already. So that's it. After two or three months, depression has come back to visit me... But it is not a welcomed visitor. I can't force it to go away by will-force, but my psychiatrist, my psychologist, and I will do everything possible to make it go away ASAP. (sigh)