... booze, drugs, sex, or other addiction. In my case, food. I've been on an antidepressant for about 5-6 years now. It keeps the black dog away and has allowed me to stop the diet rollercoaster. Thanks to the medication, most of my days are good days, but I went through a spell before I started taking it when I didn't care about anything at all and was phoning in my job, my marriage, my writing, and all my volunteer commitments. These days I don't look or act depressed either, but there's an elaborate scaffold holding me up. Medication, upon which sits good nutrition, sleep, and self-care, upon which sits believing in myself and getting myself back to school to finish my degree, which supports a promotion at work, and head space in which to write my own and read inspiring stories like yours. Be well.