Dear Mari,

The article was written by an English professor. It reminds me of similar articles written by people with an intellectual appreciation of depression who do not suffer from it themselves.

The fact that depression can be a stimulus for creativity has long been acknowledged. Among other current Depressives who do not treat their illness with meds is Edward Albee, who believes that to relieve his angst would be to destroy him as a writer.

Lots of people follow his example.

However, depression that leads one to plan suicide has to be treated with meds . You can't create anything if you are a corpse.

The article suggests that everyone who is depressed has a choice between toughing it out through their depression and retaining their creative juices, or taking meds and leading a less stressful, more comfortable, less creative life. It implies that people who take meds are pusillanimous souls who choose tranquility over chaotic, inspiring humanity.

Not so. At its worst, depression is lethal or can make the sufferer catatonic. Judging by the fact that they didn't kill themselves, Keats, Handel and Joni Mitchell's depressions weren't that bad.

The author, Prof. Eric G. Wilson, may find the creative impulse of depression to be remarkable, but it is something that has occurred to us all long ago.

Cordially,
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