....Further on my post below on Depression.....

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I had a very interesting comment from one of my readers this morning regarding my rant - and a rant is what it is - regarding depression.

Now ordinarily - I would attempt to make my point in a much more considered manner - but this time I found it very hard to.

His comment was ultimately a caution regarding responding to those utilising hyperbole.

Now this is something I use myself in daily life. However, there is a smart use of hyperbole and then there is an idiotic use that is completely out of context.

My rant comes - in part - from having been told the following in the past upon people discovering that I have depression.

You need to get a hobby.
You need to lighten up.
You need to get more sleep.
You need to not be so defensive.
You need to not take this depression thing so seriously.
You need to know a joke when you hear one.
You need to know that people don't get that depression thing.

Now, this can be a difficult thing to deal with in a constructive and sensitive manner when others are not doing so. Indeed, it can wear one down to constantly hear these types of statements.

I had to take a day off work because of my depression not that long ago, and I had a staff member say to me "Well if you can do it why can't *I* take a day off for a depression. I'm depressed by this job all the time".

To say I sat there dumbfounded is an understatement. It is precisely this type of attitude - sadly far more common than many people think - that generated the rant below.

I consider myself thankful that most of the people I interact with through this blog understand my delivery and how I put my point of view across.

I am also heartened to see commentary and feedback that challenges me without simply being a "hater" post.

To me, this is one of the great positives of the blog-verse - that so many different people bring such a diverse range of views into a common forum.

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