tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14879983.post7533245136587195229..comments2024-03-18T20:41:39.140-07:00Comments on C. E. Chaffin's Blog: How I Am Currently Responding to CurrentC. E. Chaffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02639448512282317750noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14879983.post-56747034103540219002008-02-25T20:56:00.000-08:002008-02-25T20:56:00.000-08:00You are indeed very high functioning to be depress...You are indeed very high functioning to be depressed. Are you bipolar? <BR/><BR/>I can say from years of suffering through depression that I can do none of the things you do. I turned to alcohol and still drink though I never get drunk. <BR/><BR/>There are days I do well to wash my face or brush my teeth. <BR/><BR/>I would say that considering how bad living with depression can be and how much one loses in a depressive state (libido, friendship, the ability to concentrate, the motivation to do anything, much less send poems out or meet with writers) that you are doing far better perhaps than you think you are. <BR/><BR/>My thoughts and prayers are with you. My hope is that you can try to see through the mirror darkly how many blessings still exist and how you obviously are not giving up the good fight.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14879983.post-63133752898564363642008-02-23T13:58:00.000-08:002008-02-23T13:58:00.000-08:00Thanks, all. Yes, from long practice I am a high-...Thanks, all. Yes, from long practice I am a high-functioning depressive. Since probably a fifth of my life has been spent underwater, so to speak, if I hadn't done anything during those years I would have felt even worse. My reason for doing things in this state is, that since it won't make me feel any better or worse to do rather than not do, I go ahead and do. What have I got to lose? Only my mind, and that's gone. Or a loved one, and my daughter died last year. I suppose there's always more to lose but I couldn't bear to lose anyone else right now--and then there's the inner realization that I _could_ bear it, which for me simply means not committing suicide. To bear it emotionally, no. If I think about losing Kathleen or one of my other children I go completely to pieces, thinking "God" wouldn't be that cruel. But I have no control and "he makes the rain to fall on the just ant the unjust" so it's all a crapshoot, why we'd all rather be lucky than good, I think. At least I would.C. E. Chaffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02639448512282317750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14879983.post-32268482129456748422008-02-22T21:44:00.000-08:002008-02-22T21:44:00.000-08:00praying hard, praying hard.shannpraying hard, praying hard.<BR/><BR/>shannAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14067576860660881139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14879983.post-70079138505716977202008-02-22T16:56:00.000-08:002008-02-22T16:56:00.000-08:00You're a high-functioning depressive, that's for s...You're a high-functioning depressive, that's for sure. You're reading Atwood, meeting with poets (or almost), writing your own poetry (and good stuff too!), and blogging. I've had depression in my life and couldn't get out of bed to flip on a light switch to save my life. Everyone's different, I guess. <BR/><BR/>Trivia: Tammy Wynette, Vivien Leigh, Dick Cavett, Cole Porter, and Judy Garland all had ECT during their lifetimes. And they all went on to have pretty good lives too. <BR/><BR/>Look after yourself.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com