This week’s post, as well as the next several Thursday posts are going to talk about something that I know is a frequent problem throughout the geek community: I’m specifically referring to depression.
While not a “geek specific” topic, depression has always struck me as something our community tends toward more than many other social groups. I say this from experience. From late high school right up through the present, I have had intermittent bouts of depression. I have not specifically been medicated for depression, but I have taken anti-depressants at various times (specifically Zoloft, prescribed to help with Tourette’s syndrome). At the moment, things are going quite well, but that has not always been the case. Parts of college were particularly awful. My sophomore year was the worst and when my depression combined with insomnia, cluster headaches and horrific nightmares, I was very nearly at the point of suicide. I saw no end to everything that was hurting me and I didn’t know what to do. That’s not to say that suicide ever struck me as a good idea, but I was nearly out of other ideas. The only thing that kept me from pursuing that option further was the fact that I had a solid group of friends. Continue reading
