My hope is for this group is to be a place to discuss mental illness of all kinds. I have been dealing with depression for over half my life and have learned a few things the hard way and also from others’ experiences. I am fortunately still alive today to tell my story and help others. My story has a happy ending (or middle depending upon your perspective) and probably isn’t half as bad as some of the others of whom I’ve met along the way. For my specific issues, it didn’t really help me per se to know that others had it worse but that sometimes can be useful information. I hope we can help to be of service to each other, be resourceful and supportive, and provide useful information. My attitude with respect to therapy has always been, “whatever works.” Unfortunately in my case, very little did. What works for one person may not work for someone else and so getting people the proper help can be a very complicated and frustrating process at times. I look forward to meeting others, trying really hard to understand your specific circumstances, and being your friend and of service. I have no medical certifications of any kind and can only speak from personal experience and having a somewhat intelligent mind.