Originally posted on Blood Into Ink

self-declared “expert”
no MD after his famous name
says he knows my psyche
better than I do
his condescending words
drip off the screen
leaving gray ooze in its wake
weak
whiny
complainer
blamer
he declares
I didn’t need him to clarify
that he had never walked
in my Doc Martins
anyone who had ever lived with depression
knows what strength it takes
to climb inch by agonizing inch out of the Pit of Despair
knows what metal reinforces your spine
to gaze into the abyss while it looks back at you
whispering  your name like a lover
promising oblivion
the opposite of depressed is not happy
the opposite of depressed
is being able to take a deep breath
that doesn’t cut your lungs to shreds
it’s caring that you showered this week
put on clean underwear
it’s thinking you can survive another day
without exercising…