So, Daddy Alleges the "Gun Case" Threat was a Bad Joke to Alleviate Tension . . .

[eilowyn]

. . . because when I'm having a crisis about my constant depressive state, I really want to riff on how redneck we are behind our respectability. I love my Daddy, he is the smartest man I know, but sometimes he can be a very well-meaning idiot

Comments

[bobthemole]

(Ah yes, the old "That thing we said that triggered your depression was just a joke!" excuse. That's how I ended up on meds.)

I wish you the best - empathetic family members, functional brain chemistry and all!

[eilowyn]

My family members are pretty empathetic . . . just occasionally tactless. Thanks for the happy thoughts!

(And actually the origins of my depression and the need for meds was triggered by a crazy aunt about fourteen years ago. I still have to see her at random family gatherings, but even my naive baby sister notices something is off about her.

Mellie: Is there something wrong with Aunt Linda?
Me: Aunt Linda is the reason Sissy has needed ten years of therapy.)

[escarboucle]

I guess that I am a computer addict - be it graphics, work, my own story, I work everyday, chat everyday through the computer. But since I have work and all, I still am careful with my slep schedule and stuff.

It's kinda hard at first, I guess, but try to find your own pace :333 Being without internet or computer is not necessarily a good thing, the thing is to be able to be without it and still be cool about it (which, in the end, I still am as I can be away from the net or computer despite me using it HEAVILY everyday).

Good luck :333

[simonf]

"and I love hearing stories of how other people are affected by Buffy's story of depression"

Somebody somewhere should do a study of that. It's an aspect of fandom that not many people know about. Friendship and marriages in fandom get more of an examination.

[eilowyn]

It is something I've been wanting to examine. Will be discussing it with a few professors when school starts again. It would mean examining support groups for depression as a whole to determine what specifically about the Buffy fandom makes it different, and reading up on a bunch of psychology journals for some of the clinical views of support groups, but I'd still like to get much of my data from personal experiences. When the idea is more formulated, I might post something to Whedonesque asking people to describe their own experiences.

[simonf]

Well tell you what if you get together something concrete, I'll quite happily post it at Whedonesque (cause you posting would break our no-self linking rule). I've heard a lot about Buffy has helped people especially young teenage girls (positive role model etc) but I've never read much about how people with depression deal with the show.

I would suspect you'll probably get a lot of answers.

[ladyofthelog]

Relieved to hear that your parents are being reasonable and doing their best to be supportive. (I was freaked for myself, lol, until my mom was like "I am glad you have your internet and your stories to keep you company, honey," when she came downstairs to bring me dinner in my lair (I am spoiled).) I know that schedules and having a separate sleeping place are hugely helpful to me, so I'm happy that you have that structure in place for yourself. That seems like a wise and moderate strategy. :)

I can't read Whedonesque because otherwise my entire life would look like this:

[enigmaticblues]

Are you sure we don't have the same father? Because I'm pretty sure I've used just those words to describe mine--nice guy, smart man, but can be a well-meaning idiot.

I'm glad you got that figured out. I find that structure often helps me to get things accomplished, which then helps me to feel better.