This morning’s NY Times contains a column about depression by Dick Cavett.

Part of me wants to write a great deal about my own struggle with depression, but I’ll spare my readers that except to say that, like Cavett, there were many times I wished I had the energy to strangle those who told me to “snap out of it.” Like it was that easy to do. Yah. Why didn’t I think of that?

My recent change of medications, brought on by my long-term success with a medication just not working for me any more, sent me through some weeks of a return of suicidal thoughts and the inability to get out of bed and go to the office. Thankfully, I went through that period with professional help.

My anecdotal experience is that depression is often a “paired” disease (my own formulation, btw), with the depressed person also suffering from alcoholism/drug addiction and/or anxiety. Sometimes the mood swings for some sufferers are so great that it’s bipolar hell. For me, I had to sober up before I could really address the depression.

Hope the column amuses you and deepens your understanding of some of your fellows.

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