TO WRITE: Alternatives to Discrimination
I've been listening closely to advertisements for haunted houses this Halloween season. Last year an organization whose name I've gladly forgotten got national attention for creating a scary experience in what they called a mental hospital or psych ward, and for using numerous terms derogatory to the mentally ill, as well as trying to frighten people with the ideas of straight-jackets and unanesthetized electroshock treatments. Probably without thinking about what they were doing (I'll give them the benefit of the doubt here), they were painting mentally ill people as frightening, violent and dangerous. We are none of those things. Fortunately, after many letters and much protest, the group changed their theme entirely.

We've all probably felt some stigma around mental illness -- the comments from others that you should pull yourself out of your depression, or the dismissal of one's symptoms and oneself as "psycho." Very sadly, the worst result of the stigma around mental illness is that it causes many people to NOT seek treatment that could help them.

Play with this. . .
There are three sections to this exercise. First, write continuously for 10 minutes about any stigma you've been the object of for any reason -- your gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, height, weight, age, etc. Then write for 10 more minutes on stigma you've experienced or observed pertaining to mental conditions. Finally, write for five more minutes on what you could tell yourself or that stigmatizer that would make you feel better about the situation -- perhaps pointing out to your boss or relative that you are coping with an actual illness and you are working hard to get well, or perhaps giving yourself a positive affirmation or self-talk to counter an uninformed or unkind comment.

TO WRITE: Are you "bogged down"?
An email crossed my screen recently with a question that was attributed to, or arose from, Oprah's discussion of Eckhart Tolle's ideas: What makes you feel less bogged down?

That phrase "bogged down" makes me think of swampy muck tugging at my rubber boots; it makes me think of the poem Picture of Depression by Jo Bobbie in my book (p. 89). Both evoke good heavy images and feelings of depression -- ones that could help non-depressed people ("neurotypicals," as one student calls them) get a clue about how a real depression really feels.

Play with this. . .
Consider that weighty feeling of being bogged down, then consider its opposite -- feeling buoyant and agile and free to move and be yourself. Now write continuously (without stopping to think a lot about what word or idea is coming next) for 20 minutes on what lifts you from one state to the other; what makes you feel less bogged down? It might be a healthy meal, a chance to sit in nature and just think, a new part-time job, running a marathon, talking to a friend, counting your blessings or writing in your journal. You might be able to generate a list you can turn to later when you really need it. After you write, determine what one thing you can do for yourself right now to feel less bogged down, and do it.

TO WRITE: What would you love to buy?
Economically, times are looking very grim for most of us right now. And, whether we want to face it yet or not, the holiday season -- with all it's frenzied buying and extra expenses -- is fast approaching. Does all this money talk sound overwhelming? Today I invite you to set aside those stressful issues and think about you.

Play with this. . .
Write continuously for 20 minutes on the question: What would you love to buy if you could? For me, an eagerly awaited new book is a favorite treat, so I might simply purchase more books if I had unlimited shopping resources. Your tastes may run to larger items -- a new house? car? a tropical island? Or perhaps you'd like to buy a gift for a loved one?

After you write, reflect on why this item is important to you. Is it something you really could go out and acquire today? If so, go for it, and see how wonderful you feel. If it's unattainable until you win the lottery, consider why you'd like it and brainstorm on whether there's a smaller alternative that could provide the same pleasure.

TO WRITE: Are Women and Men REALLY Different?
Gender differences have been discussed, and sometimes enforced, for eons, continuing in this election season, including tonight's VP debate. How real are these differences? More crucially, how important are they?

I'm observing all sorts of interesting things in this arena now that I have an 11-month-old daughter. Friends tell me they couldn't affect their girls' love of princess dresses even though they tried; men seem less likely to ask to hold the baby even when they beam contentedly when the offer is made and they reach out; strangers with a kind comment for the little one are unsure how to deliver it if s/he's wearing gender-neutral clothing below her short baby hair.

Play with this. . .
Write continuously for 20 minutes starting with: The real difference between men and women is... Or start with the differences between girls and boys. What differences have you observed recently? What conclusions have you drawn? Do you treat women and men differently? Do others role-cast you, and how does that feel? Is it advantageous or problematic to have differences? And do gender roles have any influence on your depression?

TO WRITE: The Power of Peers
I returned this week from the national conference of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, held in Norfolk, Virginia. The theme of the meeting was "The Power of Peers," and the lectures I attended, the response to the one I presented, and the conversations I had with fellow attendees all underlined for me the importance of this concept. Many at the conference were leaders of local DBSA chapters around the United States; some were peer counselors, peer trainers or peer advocates for mental health parity. Most were also living with depression or bipolar disorder themselves, or had a close family member with one of these illnesses.

I was impressed. I heard from people who focus on reducing the stigma around mental health, from a comedian teaching others with mood disorders to do stand up too, and from good souls who have managed to get Medicare to cover peer counseling for mental illnesses in some places. It felt good to be among so many who have a lot on their plate just dealing with their health challenges, but who then go further and help others who are struggling too. Keynote speaker, renowned author and Johns Hopkins psychiatry professor Kay Redfield Jamison proclaimed to great applause: "If you've survived mental illness, you have an obligation to give back."

Play with this. . .
Part 1: Write continuously for 15 minutes on how your peers help you. Do you attend a support group and feel listened to each week? Has a neighbor or friend-of-a-friend ever reported that she has depression too, and that you can call if you need to? What have you read that supported you in understanding your illness and gave you coping ideas (perhaps Jamison's An Unquiet Mind, for example)?

Part 2: Write continuously for 15 minutes again, but now look at how you help your peers with a mood disorder. For example, I'm encouraging people to begin their own writing groups more and more lately, as I've benefited so much from leading mine for these last 10 years. But simply sharing your writing with a peer can provide an enormous support too -- discovering we're not alone in our experiences offers powerful support and healing too. Are there other ways you "give back"?

TO WRITE: What are you looking at?
I'm discovering that what everyone told me is true -- being a mom is a non-stop job. But, oh, are we having fun! And even when a break presents itself, like naptime for baby (when Mom can write a quick blog posting) or when Dad arrives home from work (and plays with baby) I'm finding it hard to stop watching her. After dinner the other evening, as daughter played happily on the floor by herself, Dad and I thought we would take an opportunity to have an adult conversation; instead we realized we were both silently staring at her with smiles on our faces, intrigued with her games.

Play with this. . .
Write continuously for 20 minutes starting with: My eyes were glued to. . . Write a memory of a time you couldn't stop watching something, or write some fiction, creating a short story of someone's visual obsession.

Then, at several times during the day, consider where you focus your attention. Are these the places you'd like to be staring at, or would you like to home in on other, perhaps more "positive," images?

TO WRITE: The Youngest, the Oldest

OK, so I've got babies on the mind. . . humor this new mom. (See earlier post today.) As my beautiful little one seems to do something new everyday -- she is soooo close to crawling -- I'm terribly impressed by her rapid developments. Our accrued learning over a lifetime is amazing.

Play with this. . .
Describe the youngest person or the oldest person you've known. What stories do you recall about this person? What have you learned from her or him? My paternal grandmother, who I knew well, lived in reasonable health to 97 years of age. In China we met a 96-year-old man who was fascinating in his physical flexibility and apparent health. He said daily tai-chi was his secret. On the other hand, the youngest person I've known well since I've been an adult is definitely my new daughter, just turned 10 months old. I'm adoring watching all the changes she's made in just the month we've known her, and I know I'll learn a tremendous amount as we evolve as a family. I think that reflecting on all three of these people will be a help when I'm feeling really low.

TO READ: I'M BACK -- HAVING RECEIVED A GREAT BLESSING!!

After a several-week hiatus on two continents, I'm thrilled to be back in the blogosphere . . . and delighted to report that my husband and I are now proud parents of a 10-month-old baby girl! We spent two weeks going through the adoption details in China (after three years of going through adoption details in the U.S.), then made our way home just as the Olympics began there. All three of us are adjusting well and snuggling a lot, playing on the floor a lot, and dealing with wakings at 2am. Couldn't be better, even with having to just snatch a minute here and there to answer email, write blogs, take a shower. . . .

A few years ago I would not have thought there was a chance in the world that I'd ever become a parent as I had hoped. I was in the hospital too much, getting too much ECT, obsessed with harming myself; I was seeing and hearing things. I was too ill with my depression to work, study, or function very well socially, much less be responsible for another person's life too. And then there were all the issues around how my meds might affect a pregnancy, and how a pregnancy might affect my moods. But, lo and behold, a solution arrived as my recovery progressed these last three years or so. I feel tremendously grateful to the Universe for this opportunity, and it makes me want to say to everyone that there IS hope for better things, even when your health is very poor. Persevere, educate yourself, try different things and remember you are valuable. And write -- for clarity, understanding, peace and planning your recovery. Write.

TO WRITE: How Does Writing Save YOU?
I make a big claim in my book: Writing saved my life.

Other things saved my life too when I was going through years of life-threatening depressions: Medical treatment (a supportive psychiatrist, lots of meds, lots of ECT, experimental transcranial magnetic stimulation, hospital stays) also saved my life. . . and good people (my husband, my mother, a couple of great bipolar friends) saved my life. Without all three, I'm not at all sure I'd have made it.

Author Alice Walker has also been rescued by writing. She says, "Writing saved me from the sin and inconvenience of violence." Clearly, writing can aid many of us in surviving of life's most difficult trials. Some use writing to touch their spiritual core, some use it to recover from pain, others use it to plan their recovery.

Play with this. . .
Writing continuously for 20 minutes, reflect on why you write. Go deep. What would your life be like if you never did any personal writing such as journaling or crafting poems for yourself? Even if you don't find life-altering reasons for writing, you may find that writing helps you organize your thoughts and plan your day, or perhaps writing allows you to calm and soothe yourself after a difficult experience.

After you've written about writing's importance in your life, go ahead and give yourself 10 more minute (at least!) to write on what you need to write on today. . . . What's happening in my life? How am I feeling? What do I remember? What am I looking at right now? Have fun with this, and remember, this writing thing can help in very profound ways.

TO READ: What If Writing Hurts?


A reader commented recently that sometimes writing about difficult experiences or issues left her feeling as though she were reliving that awful time. Is this ever true for you? What can you do to make your writing experience both productive and positive? Lots of suggestions follow.

First, let me reiterate my three "rules" for writing to ease depression (These are discussed in more detail in Writing through the Darkness). Boiled down, they are:

1) Write continuously for the whole time you've allotted yourself. (10 or 20 minutes to start.)

2) Write for yourself. (Perfection and careful arguments are not required.)

3) If a topic feels too threatening, don't write on it today.

About #3: As you write more often, you'll learn to challenge yourself while still retaining safe boundaries. If something feels overwhelming, wait. Write on something else less charged for now. You may want to talk to a therapist or close friend about the issue and digest it before trying it again next week or next month when it feels less scary. Trust your instincts and be safe first.

Other thoughts on writing on tough issues (Again, loads more on this in the book). . .

-- It's most useful to write about both thoughts and feelings in a single session, not just one or the other.

-- Try writing about the event in the form of a story: A character runs into a problem; the character tries (perhaps several times) to solve the problem; the character somehow solves it or resolves the situation (even if that means deciding to wait for now).

-- Don't let yourself ruminate endlessly on one particular problem if you're not making progress with it. Let it go for now and write on other topics and come back to it in a week or a month.

-- Talk with a therapist about the issue to see if you can break the logjam in your thoughts and find some new perspective.

--Always try to end a tough writing session with even a few minutes on a positive topic -- try three quick minutes on the most relaxed you've ever felt, what you would do with $100 if you found it on the street today, or the most soothing image you can imagine.

Good luck, and remember to follow your instincts and make caring for yourself the number one priority with your writing.

TO READ: Is Exercise the Answer?
If it wasn't clear to me before that the obesity-depression relationship is a big issue for many of us, it is after your comments on my recent post on the topic. But what do we do about it?

As everyone knows, diets can be very tough. And if you're already depressed, you may be fighting with low motivation to eat more healthy stuff and less junk food. You may also be one who turns to comfort food when your mood drops, despite knowing that those calories add up quickly. It's not easy for me today, but earlier in my life I diet easily, drop a few pounds, then forget about it. Now, with bipolar disorder (mostly depressions) and its attendant medications, I'm really struggling. I still haven't gotten off all my Clozaril pounds, despite being off of that drug for years. Sigh. But. . .

Then there's the other side of the issue: exercise. Unfortunately I nearly stopped my exercise program last year as I focused on writing my book. And boy could I feel it. Several weeks ago, however, I got back on that horse, joined a small women's gym near home, and I've been taking exercise classes there. The classes work for me because they obligate me to be there at a certain time, so I can't procrastinate the entire day long. After the first two, I came home, sat down, and literally didn't know if I could get up a few minutes later. But, those sore exhausted muscles at least told me I was doing something.

The exercising is getting a bit easier now, and those jeans are in fact fitting a little better already. But can it really help me overcome my weight gain? And do I have to diet too? Hundreds, if not thousands, of studies demonstrate that regular exercise is the key to preventing and healing nearly every ailment. And we all know that those endorphins it produces are mood-lifting. We know we should do it, but it's still tough when you're depressed.

What do you do about exercise -- and how does exercise interact with your depression and your meds? Does it help you lose or maintain weight? Does it help you feel less depressed? More energetic? Proud of yourself? Let me know what you think -- I can use all the opinions I can get as I still have to push and push to get my shoes on and get to those aerobics classes three times a week.

TO READ & WRITE: Shockingly Great News!
We're still stunned. But happily stunned. My husband and I are in the very, very long process of adopting a little girl. . . .

As you may have read here in early April, our hearts were broken when, after receiving an assignment to a lovely 18-month old whose photos we fell in love with immediately, we learned that her medical report showed that she was not healthy, as we had been led to understand. Instead, she was at serious risk of severe health and developmental problems and in fact should have been considered a "special needs" child. We were neither trained nor authorized for an SN child. Our adoption agency very firmly recommended that we not accept this assignment. And after days of research, multiple medical experts' reports, counseling and soul-searching, we made the gut-wrenching decision to refuse the assignment. We did this with the understanding that she would be quickly adopted by a special needs family. (And we remained at the top of the list for a new referral.) We continue to mourn her -- she will always be in our hearts.

Now, two months later, we have received a new assignment. On Tuesday we learned that her file had arrived; on Wednesday morning it had been translated and completely reviewed and approved by the adoption pediatrician; at that point only were we ready to make the dash to San Francisco to see the file and the precious photos of our new daughter-to-be. She's gorgeous! She's eight-months-old and looks healthy and alert.

We are very, very happy. And we are still feeling stunned too. Parts of our hearts are, even now, guarded until she is in our arms at home. It's been an unbelievable 72 hours in our house. But shock that after three years this could really come true, and that we could possibly be so fortunate, is slowly ebbing -- and joy is rising, pure and clear.



TO WRITE: Shocked!?!
I've just written about the amazing swirl of emotions I've been in in the last few days since receiving our adoption assignment. Shock has been a big one. After three years of working toward this and waiting and waiting and one serious problem, our wish seems within reach. We hope we'll have our little daughter in our arms within the next couple of months. Yet I'm surprised.

I suppose I've guarded my heart and turned off a lot of feelings over this time, just in order to write my book, keep my mood stable, and basically function. But still, I'm rather shocked at how shocked I am, and I'm slowly working this through so that I can focus more completely on more important emotions, like being thrilled.

Play with this. . .
Write for 20 minutes about a time you were shocked by something. It may have been a good big surprise, or something less welcome. How did you feel at the time? And were you still feeling it later? How have you processed it, or is it still a pressing issue for you?

TO READ: Depression and Obesity. . . and Depression

"Theory and research suggest that obesity and depression may be causally linked," says the summary of a new study in the journal Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice. If you are living with depression, chances are that you've already made that connection on your own -- after all, while some of us tend to eat (and sleep) less when we're depressed, there is also a substantial proportion of us who tend to eat and eat and sleep and sleep to try to ease the pain.

I happen to be an eater and sleeper; I especially crave carbohydrates (i.e., cookies and scones from Starbucks) when I'm way down. And, despite being a healthy weight until taking an atypical antipsychotic (which shall go unnamed) a few years ago when absolutely nothing else was helping, I'm now 20-30 pounds above where I'd like to be. It was much worse for awhile -- I gained 80 pounds in less than a year on this stuff. Very fortunately, when I finally got off of it to try a newly-released alternative, 40 pounds evaporated on its own. I've dieted to get rid of some of the rest, but it comes and goes and comes and stays -- and it's somewhat "depressing." And it often does feel like there's a chicken-and-egg quality to the situation.

So when I saw this research study suggesting that depression can lead to obesity and obesity can lead to depression, I took note. Long-term studies show that obesity predicts later depression. The authors propose that this may be due to either health or appearance issues. Meanwhile, there's some data showing that depression increases the risk of obesity, likely due to lack of exercise, negative thoughts or lack of social support. The suggestions for treating both of these include, not surprisingly, "behavioral activation" (diet and exercise) and cognitive-behavioral therapy -- but the scientists emphasize that no one's really studied how to treat both together yet.

What do you think? If you're living with both these conditions, which came first, and to what do you attribute the other? If you've recovered from one or both of these, how did you do it? I myself consider my bipolar disorder (mostly depression) well-managed now, but when I'm even slightly down, I judge myself harshly for my excess pounds. I can imagine these problems going either way.

For more info: Clin Psychol Sci Prac 15:1-20, 2008.

TO WRITE: Waiting and waiting. . . and waiting

I just spent a good five minutes on hold with a national company I do business with before hanging up in disgust. (I know, I know, you've spent 15, 20, 30 minutes in such situations. Still, I say anything over 10 seconds starts to get miserable.) And why don't they just play some dignified classical music instead of old Neil Diamond hits of the '70s?

Waiting can be tough, whether its for customer service or for something much more serious -- getting a call about an adoptive child (We're still waiting!) or a hint of relief from severe, chronic depression symptoms.

Play with this. . .
A writer friend of mine recently challenged her students to write on the question: What are you waiting for? Take 20 minutes to answer that one, writing continuously without stopping to edit yourself a lot.

Are you waiting for the confidence to register for that class you've been wanting to take? Is it the nerve to ask him or her out to dinner? Is it the energy to pick up your pen and write? Are you waiting for that last 20 pounds to disappear? After you've written, take five minutes more to consider what you might be able to do to either make the waiting end sooner or to better get through it. In my experience, my mental health depends upon this.

TO READ: My Internet Radio Interview

Here's an email I sent out to friends, family, colleagues and students about my radio interview -- which is today! If you'd like to join my mailing list, please send your name to: EMSchaefer@aol.com. Thanks!

Dear friends,

I'm thrilled to announce that thanks to the help and support of many of you, my book, Writing through the Darkness: Easing Your Depression with Paper and Pen, has been released and is now available!

If you've wanted to learn more about how writing can ease depression, I invite you to tune in to a live, nationally-syndicated Internet radio show today, Thursday, at 3:20pm PST. I will be interviewed on World Talk Radio, which is accessible through the Internet at http://www.modavox.com/WTRStudioA/. If you are not available at that time but are interested in getting a podcast of the presentation, you will be able to do so following the show by clicking http://www.modavox.com/WTRStudioA/HostModaviewForWTR.aspx?ShowId=440&BroadcastId=31517&ScheduleTime=15.

Many of you have already witnessed the power of writing. If there are others who you feel would be interested in this message, please forward it to them so they can tune in to the show or visit my website at www.writingthroughthedarkness.com.

Thank you and be well!
Beth

TO READ: My Book is Available!
I'm delighted to let you know that my book, Writing through the Darkness: Easing Your Depression with Paper and Pen, is now widely available, both online and in bookstores. (If your bookstore doesn't have it, ask for it!) The official publication date is not until June 1, but lots of folks are telling me that they're finding it at various locations -- one chain bookstore I visited this week told me they'd already sold out of it and were ordering more, which of course does a new author's heart lots of good. To order online, go to my website, www.emschaefer.com, and click on the "order this book" button. Or, just go to www.Amazon.com.

Writing through the Darkness is a practical guide to using creative writing to help heal depression. For over 20 years I've coped with severe depressions due to my bipolar disorder. I've tried at least 25 medications, years of psychotherapy, over 100 electroconvulsive (shock) therapy treatments, transcranial magnetic stimulation, as well as acupuncture, herbs, energy adjustments, meditation regimens and more. But I discovered that writing was my friend, companion and, at times, my savior, through it all.

I've been leading a creative writing group for people with depression, bipolar disorder and other conditions for ten years now. Along the way I've studied the research on how writing can help us emotionally and how other authors and poets have naturally been drawn to it to cope. Writing through the Darkness is my offering of this healing tool to you. I hope you will find it encouraging and informative as you learn new ways to ease the pain of depression. Please let me know what you think!

TO WRITE: Your Gang
What organizations or informal groups do you belong to? If you're like me, you can name quite a few. I'm a member of NAMI and DBSA, several writing associations, a gym, charitable organizations, alumni associations, on and on.... Then there are the less formal groups: two writing groups, a group of church friends interested in multiculturalism, my old high school gang of four close friends, a book group, and, of course, my family and my neighbors.

It all looks a bit daunting as I start to list them here. But I think most groups I am a part of do offer some benefits. Some provide a sense of camaraderie, a sense of shared purpose, educational opportunities, or -- most critically -- friends and support.

Play with this. . .
Take about three minutes to quickly jot a list of groups or organizations to which you belong. Then take three more minutes to list those you've belonged to in the past -- remember, your fifth grade class counts, as do any religious or business affiliations you've had. Now write continuously on one to three of these items, considering what your emotional experiences are or were there. Did you feel uplifted and aided in a depression support group? Did your softball team provide friendship when you needed it? Did your high school graduation class offer enjoyment, or was it all a burden?

Finally, how could you improve your life in terms of the groups you belong to now? Could you audit a class or find a few folks who like museums? Personally, I'm feeling stretched way too thin right now, so I'm trying to take leave of a few volunteer activities and focus more on things like the writing group I lead and the one I write in. I'm also realizing there may be times in the future when I'll benefit from a mood disorders support group again -- one of my saviors in past times. Try to be creative and keep all your options open.

TO READ: Unipolar and Bipolar Depression -- Differences
Many of us, psychiatrists included, tend to assume that a depression is a depression -- whether it's a unipolar one (ie, "major depression") or due to the depressed phase of bipolar disorder. But a recent report says that's not so.

British researchers compared 593 people with major depression and 443 with bipolar disorder, looking at their depression symptoms and the course of their illness. The findings showed several distinctions. Bipolar depressions tended to more often have:

* the presence of psychosis (ie, delusions or hallucinations)

* daily mood variation

* hypersomnia (sleeping too much) during depressive episodes

* more shorter depressive episodes

These are all features you may want to keep an eye on and discuss with your mental health care provider because treatments for the two illnesses do differ.

For more information: The British Journal of Psychiatry (2008) 192:388-389.

TO WRITE: Coming Out the Other Side

Thank you to all the kind souls who offered sympathy and solace in response to my recent "What a Disappointment" posting. Today's news: It's getting better.

We're still waiting for a new adoption assignment, which could anytime. I'm still a bit sad and fatigued from it all. But -- I am not having a depression. Hurray! My fears that this situational depression would trigger a severe neurochemical one that would take me to a hell hard to escape from have not materialized. And now even the situational depression is gradually healing, and I'm slowly finding myself able to look forward more easily.

A very wise person pointed out that I may need to pay special attention to doing physical, sensory activities during this time, and that has paid off. Rather than letting myself stare into space or sleep too much, I've been pushing myself to journal about the situation, to read for pure pleasure, to shop, to prepare simple meals, to talk to friends. It's grounding.

Play with this. . .

Write continuously for 20 minutes on what "grounding" activities could help you through your next difficult period. Could you exercise or just walk, paint or take photos, visit a bookstore or cafe, go to a museum? And what about writing? Research indicates that writing about a tough situation can help us organize it in our mind, get it out emotionally, and even change our behavior -- and can boost immune system function. Why wouldn't you include it in your box of healing tricks? Let me know what works for you.

TO READ: My New York Times Online Letter
Last week's science and health page of the New York Times (It comes out on Tuesdays and often has great brain, psychology, and mental health articles -- and it's free online.) had a book review entitled "Quieting the Demons and Giving Art a Voice." It described two new books on aspects of creativity and mental illness. I'm sure I'll read both soon, and likely enjoy them, but one of the conclusions drawn from both is that depression silences people's creative voice.

But no! My new book, Writing through the Darkness: Easing Your Depression with Paper and Pen (available online now; in bookstores June 1), provides evidence that in fact creative writing can be used to help work through even a deep depression. So I wrote back, and my letter appeared in this morning's NYT online edition: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/health/06weblett-ARTANDMENTAL_LETTERS.html?ref=science

Check it out, and you can also link from the letter back to the original article. I'd love to hear what you think. I believe it's crucial that people with depression, bipolar, or other mental illnesses -- especially those newly-diagnosed -- understand that this does not spell the end of their creative life. Although it certainly will present new challenges, I believe our creative life can actually be fed by our mental difficulties if approached correctly. And I believe our creativity can help heal us too.