Y’know, nobody ever tells you that when you start feeling better, or treatment starts working, it feels like you woke up naked in the middle of the woods. I’m serious, like I have no idea how to even function as a “normal” person (read my article on normal: What is normal?) I spent the last 20ish years of my life, sinking into depression. It’s not like quick sand, it’s like tar. It slowly sucks you in, preserving you. So you still look alive, but you feel dead inside. Escaping depression was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Well, not really, because I was just zapped and felt better. Still…I fought and fought, for over 2 decades. Therapy didn’t work, meds didn’t work, nothing I tried worked, and it seemed all was lost, and that I’d just be depressed forever. It was only when I made up my mind, I told myself, “Self, we are getting out of this depression, no matter what we have to do.” And so, I got it done

The human brain is one of the most powerful things on the planet, and yet, it is malleable. We can change the chemical and physical composition of our brain, with just our thoughts. That blows my mind, but yet, I did it. I’m living proof that you can achieve anything you set your mind to, as long as you are willing to give it everything you got. So yeah, I’m no longer depressed, anxiety on the other hand, I’m working on it.

The other thing nobody tells you, is that you are always a work in progress. No matter how close to “perfection” you may get, there is always room to improve, or grow. So, I’m a work in progress, and I plan to show Mental Illness that I can kick its ass every day of my life. Yet, when the time comes, I’ll go, finally at peace. Because I gave this life everything that I had, and didn’t take no for an answer (the only time that’s acceptable btw).

To summarize, life is hard, the hardest thing on this planet. However, we are all equipped with the most powerful thing on the planet. So, if we really want to look a certain way, or speak a new language, or beat the ever living shit out of mental illness…all we have to do is convince ourselves that anything is possible. As long as you’re breathing air, anything is possible. I mean we put people on the bloody moon for crying out loud. So don’t give up, yeah life is hard, but when you come out on top, you’ll have yourself a laugh, and move on to the next thing.

Have faith in your own abilities, from my mind to yours, Alan Wolfgang, signing off.