Depression

I want to elaborate on a blog comment I recently made concerning depression. An ex-colleague of mine who was extremely likeable and one of the most efficient people I ever met in local government, and who also seemed one of the most stable blokes around, was off for several months with depression. When he eventually came back (after 7 months), he sat down with me one day and explained in some detail what had happened to him and, particularly, how he had felt on the day he left the Town Hall immediately prior to his sustained absence. This had been, by the way, on Christmas Eve, and followed a roistering jollificational celebration at a local restaurant with all of the staff in his section, and which he had appeared to thoroughly enjoy. On the way home, he said, it was all he could do not to drive into a tree in an attempt to relieve himself and everyone else of his pointless existence. I was very shocked and moved by this. He said he felt as if he was in a tunnel with no exit at the other end – he was worthless to his family and to his employers – as far as he was concerned, he was a waste of space and was breathing air designated for others more deserving. I hovered on the brink of understanding this and abhorred the tossers who said "Oh yeah, he's off with depression - pfff! We’re all depressed here, but we’re still bloody well here, aren't we!" Unthinking, unfeeling bastards! I might have even ended up somewhere there or thereabouts when I was off for 7 months with hypertension a couple of years ago. I was only too happy for my GP to keep signing me off, but maybe that was because I didn't want to cope with the stress; I certainly felt guilty because I didn't seem to be able to and felt I had let everyone down - I don’t know. But *they* let me go last year and I’m now enjoying work again! And I've met loads of new friends. You know who you are, and I'm very grateful. Good night!