Oscar K

If it works then go for it. Candles are so important in many religion's rituals for good reasons. Sometimes we can only muster a tiny (metaphorical) birthday candle. Old Man Depression hates when we start lighting candles or sparklers or anything that emits darkness busting light. I am always here to dole out my inexhaustible supply of metaphorical sources of darkness busting light. Oscar

Likewise back to you. Glad you joined our forum family. We are here for each other. Keep posting your concerns and we will try to help.

You are very welcome. We are never helpless confronting Old Man Depression. There is an adage I have found helpful: It is better to light a (metaphorical) candle than to curse the (metaphorical) darkness. Oscar

What is the actual title and who is the author? Sounds interesting.

You are so young Mack with so much pain. We truly want to help you. I can only relay what pretty much works for my coping. When unwanted thoughts "surface" I immediately try to suppress them with heavy duty metaphorical boulders. Metaphors only exist when we imagine, pretend and make believe them into existence. We all have unlimited access to clever and powerful metaphors or as I like to call them: CLEVERFULL MEDaphors. I am hoping this helps even a little. Always here for you, Oscar

Welcome aboard to our forum friendSHIP. Glad you found us. My motto is: DESPAIR not/REPAIR a lot. The repair work of course is done with clever and powerful metaphors. We all have unlimited access to metaphorical tools. Keep posting your concerns and we will be here to listen and help as best we can. Oscar

Welcome new friend to our forum family. We are here to help each other as best we can. Problems have solutions and there is always a way out of the depression darkness. Please stick with us and stick with yourself. Oscar

Welcome davina to our forum family. Your post is perhaps more insightful than you realize. You are invoking metaphors which I believe are the hints your psyche is giving you to find the way out of the deep, dark, dangerous depression cave. My experience reveals depression to be a natural formation/resource. Our goal on this forum is to not leave anyone behind in their depression abyss. Please keep posting your concerns and check out some other posts. We are here to help. My motto is : DESPAIR not/REPAIR a lot. Oscar

I can't comment on the antidepressant because I never used them. I can comment on the metaphorical grip you invoked. Depression plays very devious tricks on our psyches. My feeling is we can play some clever tricks right back. My experience reveals my need to metaphorically anchor myself outside my deep, dark, dangerous depression cave. The metaphorical depression grip can be metaphorically broken with a powerful clever lever. Sometimes I invoke a "Clever Lever Forever" mantra to break the depression grip. My approach acknowledges the idea that we are never helpless confronting Old Man Depression. Maybe this can help a little. Oscar

Welcome new friend to our forum family. You are not alone here. Please feel free if you're comfortable to tell us your concerns. There is no need for anyone to be miserable and to hate oneself. I don't believe we are ever helpless with emotional issues. My motto: DESPAIR not/ REPAIR a lot. I hope you will stick with us and stick with yourself. Oscar

Welcome new friend to our forum family. Yes it is possible to turn things around for anyone. My motto is : DESPAIR not / REPAIR a lot. I am a big believer in using metaphors to strategize solutions to mental problems. I noticed you invoked metaphors : hollow , handcuffs, drowning in sorrow. "Hollow" is a common description of depression . Personally I invoke a cave metaphor for my depression experience. I hope you will find a supportive home here with us. This forum has really helped me and it can hopefully help you. Oscar

Welcome new friend to our forum family. I can definitely understand your predicament. My experience reveals depression to be a natural formation / RESOURCE. I like to invoke a metaphorical cave to describe my depression. It is always there but I must metaphorically anchor myself outside the deep, dark, dangerous abyss. Maybe this insight can help a little. Oscar

You're welcome. My motto is: DESPAIR not/ REPAIR a lot. You are not alone here so please stick with us and of course stick with yourself. Oscar

Welcome Mack to our forum family. Our goal is to not leave anyone trapped within oneself. We are here for each other as best we can. Please don't give up on yourself. There are solutions to problems. Keep posting your concerns and we will try to help.

Old Man Depression always tells us lies about ourselves. We need to be constantly vigilant and counteract those falsehoods. We can and must move out of the deep, dark, dangerous depression cave and keep ourselves in the FUNctional light.