I have had anxiety and depression all my life...I was born anxious and depressed ...I have taken pretty much all the drugs out there and have struggled to get to a place where I feel "whole" and not like some crazy woman....I'm now 61 and finally have come to a good place in my life, helped by drugs..but still , I'm doing OK and don't spend my life wanting to die ... I'm very fortunate, have had a great life, never really wanted for anything and have been lucky enough to get a great education, which gave me a fulfilling and well paid career...so on the surface, why would I be depressed? I don't know, but I do know it's my reality and some years ago after a really bad episode, I started admitting to people that I have a mental illness and talked about my struggles...I'm amazed at how many people have said "what you ?????" As I have very good control and didn't want to admit to how I felt...but it surprised me at how many people recognized themselves in my issues and have thanked me for being so honest about it, and it has , I think helped a few friends to get help for themselves. I don't believe that the general run of the mill doctors have any clue about mental illness and I've been lucky to find a really good therapist and a brilliant psychiatrist....but it took YEARS!!!! Telling people freed my mind and freed me to admit that Im not this perfect human who can do anything and sometimes I'm a basket case, but I keep putting one foot in front of the other and I thank my lovely husband and friends for understanding that I have times when I not OK and need space and safety to survive...this is s a tough world and we need to be supportive of each other to survive....thank you for letting me tell you a little of my story....