blue tuesdays
One of the things we don’t talk about much down here on the sunny South End is depression. I know, it’s hard to imagine. Sort of a worm in the apple of the Garden of Eden — before God made the rule not to eat it. But we got everything from Seasonal Affective Disorder to Monday Morning Blues that last until Friday to outright disabling pull-the-covers-over-our-head-and-wait-until-spring depression.
I was always of the school of thought that depression was a symptom of bad marriages or crappy jobs or poor life choices. External stuff but something you could change. I don’t believe that anymore. I got friends who struggle, who wrestle, who go 10 rounds with this stuff and in the end, lose on a TKO by the first cup of coffee. We all know folks who try all manner of self- medication. Sort of leads to other problems which compound the original diagnosis, maybe like mistaking gasoline for water to fight a smoldering fire. Next thing you know, you got a 3 alarm.
I know it’s hard to believe we could suffer severe bouts of depression, living as we do, in Shangri-La-La, but even Paradise has its ups and downs. Don’t try to tell me Heaven is all sunshine and bliss — I know better. God herself has more than a few Bad Days, at least judging by the state of the world out there. You come home —All Alone — to the news that there’s more genocide, more torture, another couple of wars and a few new extinctions —- and that’s just on this planet, well, I bet She needs a few stiff drinks to get through the evening news. Who wouldn’t?
I’m no psychiatrist so I don’t offer up panaceas any more. Religion, drugs, self help advice: might as well sing Sinatra to the wind. I hear there are meds now, everything from Prozac to lithium, that may or may not help. This world is hard enough without seeing it through a Blue Veil. If you’re suffering through a cyclical bout, don’t think you’re alone. I realize it doesn’t help much, but hang on. Reality’s a slippery slope, but Hope is a ladder. Even down here we always have to climb our way back up….
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