[OperaLover]

Depression. I've been there, I am there, but thankfully I am working to leave it behind me. Medication and counseling have helped, but it's always there. Get help, reach out. You are never as alone as you think you are.
We need to take depression and other mental illness out of shadows; this is no different than any other life threatening disease. It's nothing to be ashamed of, it's physical. It's also hereditary and I see that looking back on my father, my uncle and my grandmother.

I put off treatment because I thought the meds would make me loopy. On the contrary they gave me perspective and focus on what is important in life. My marriage suffered as a result of my depression. I'm still working to hold that together for the sake of my wife and three kids.

There's a blind corner on my bike commute. No street lights and traffic in the opposite direction is coming downhill. So many nights I thought about closing my eyes and swinging my bike into that oncoming lane and . . .

My youngest child saved me. One night as I was tucking him in he said to me out of the blue, " Dad, I don't want you to die." WOW! that was my wake up. I promised him I was not going to die any time soon and began treatment.

I'm still here and I pick up myself up everyday and move forward. One day at a time and sometimes one breath at a time.

Thank you listening, sharing helps tremendously.