I have carried a low-grade depression around with me the majority of my life. It wasn’t always enough to require treatment, but it interfered with my purpose and activities (and enjoyment thereof) and prevented me from being a fully-functional participant in my own life. I’m sure it contributed to my headlong adolescent rush into alcohol and drugs.

Staying sober helped, in that my depression was no longer the intrusive, controlling thing it had become, and I had a number of years of happy, hardworking, productive life. My career progressed at a satisfactory rate, I enjoyed some success in my chosen creative field, my friendships were solid and supportive, and I learned (often through hard lessons) how to be a committed partner in a romance which has endured for 23 years and counting.

However, while it is certainly better than self-destruction, sobriety is not a cure-all. My recent years have been marred by chronic pain due to catastrophic injuries suffered in an on-the-job accident, and chronic pain is virtually guaranteed to cause or exacerbate depression. I’ve had to seek treatment - something I did only sparingly (and under duress) prior to my accident - and with limited success.

Still, my current difficulties do not erase the happy years that precede them, and I firmly believe my sobriety is helping me cope with my disability, pain and, yes, even my depression.

If a suggestion is what you desire, I would suggest you stick with sobriety, and see if it can help you the way it helped me. The change may be subtle and slow in coming, but (in my experience) there will be change for the better!

I wish you well.

Bill J. from Austin