So you know how depression is just sooo unoriginal? Like, because like, everyone has it these days so who even cares? And everything you think and feel has already been discussed in some book or pamphlet or incredibly insightful help-self blog?

Yeah, you’re not the first person to experience depression. And you’re not the last either. Then again, that’s not really the point. Because whether 5 billion people have had depression or just 5, that doesn’t change the fact that you have it, and you need to find a way of managing your version of it.

Because it is your depression and no one else’s. Everyone has unique past experiences and unique ways of experiencing things in general. Consequently, everyone is affected by depression in a different way, and everyone finds a different combination of coping or healing techniques. While you might be struck by the unoriginality of having depression, watch out! If you don’t take full account of your depression’s little eccentricities, it will be hard to clear it out of all the corners and crevices of your mind. Stock solutions and generic by-the-book cures generally need to be adapted to your own special brand of crazy.

For some reason people think that if a condition is common, it isn’t as serious as if it’s a rare one. There’s probably a fancy name for this phenomenon, but the Internet is big so out of pure laziness let’s just call this the “Dangerous Zebra, Safe Horse Phenomenon.” Because people make a big deal about zebras, but they’re really just the same as horses in that you’re pretty fucked if you get kicked in the face by either one.

The household flu is pretty common, but people still get fucked up by that shit. And depression is in some ways common, and similarly, people still get fucked up by it. If you sit in your misery pit and think to yourself “Ah. Really, this is just so trite.” You are totally right! And it will remain trite, especially if you sit like that for hours, or days, or weeks, or years.

So yeah depression is pretty unoriginal and that sucks. Lots of people deal with similar issues, and so your misery is not as special as you would like. However, your experience of your depression, and your ways of managing it are unique to you. And ultimately, It’s the climb out of the pit, the whole personal redemption narrative, that is truly distinct, and absolutely all you.