Thank you for the articles, FTT and Nerissa.
Milly, we used to talk a lot of how depression doesn't always show the way people often think it does. We have threads about depression in men and there are men like Jed Diamond who focus on men issues who have been taking and writing about male depression-
Some men, like Mr J, suffered both from the obvious type of depression - twice before MLC - and from MLC depression. His MLC depression is nothing like those two other times he was depressed. Those previous time it was depression, depression. Can't function, can't get out bed. The normal thing.
My MLC depression was also different from my previous can't do a thing, can't get out of bed depression. For Mr J and I depression come from burnout.
I suffered from manic defense after BD. The whole going and about, going from one social event to another. It has long ended. It has been years I am not only capable, but love, to do nothing and just be.
Learning, I think depression has always been around. People just didn't recognised it as such. Think how prevalent drinking and war, among other things, have always been.
In past centuries most young people would have been working since they were children and would often be dead in their 30's and 40's, if not their 20's. Life was different in the past, but not necessarily better. For different reasons, it is true current modern life is too much for humans. Our brains are not prepared for the overload of information, etc. we deal with. The break up of social communities is also a big problem.
Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together. (Marilyn Monroe)