The other fantastic takeaway message is that toughing it out without meds isn’t praiseworthy and courageous, instead it’s being ignorant and irresponsible. The responsible grown-up thing to do is get treatment so we can be well and whole for our family and circle of loved ones, so we bring peace and healing into that circle instead of continually injuring it with our brokenness and eternal anguish.

I’m speaking as a survivor about my former self. It’s very difficult in that state to think clearly, so it takes decades of cycling in and out of depression to learn these things. In the meantime our families suffer and our circle of friends, though it be ever so strong and saintly, is sorely taxed. My sincere wish is to shorten that learning curve for others, so they and their children, particularly, can come through into the light sooner, and with less residual damage.

It really does feel like coming out of a deep darkness into the light of life. I regret all the years that I languished in darkness when I could have been living. I’m so glad for the courage and strength of Kathryn and others like her who share their hard-won knowledge to help others, and I want to emulate them.

thank you.