I think that's a very good distinction you make about depression. If I'm depressed about something bad that's happened, that's not any kind of mental or emotional illness; that's my emotions functioning properly. It's feeling negative emotions that aren't a response to anything outside of my head that constitutes depression.

It needs to be understood that a chronically ill patient who seems depressed might be down because he's sick, and not sick because he's down.

When I first got Graves' disease, I was hysterical. The doctor I went to assumed that I thought I was sick because I was a hysterical person. Actually, I was hysterical because I had Graves' disease.

Hang in there. Take Annie's good advice. Treat yourself well and gather strength to keep fighting, OK?

Abby