I have dysthymia, which is a chronic mild depression. On several occasions I've dealt with major depression. During major depressions I've taken Elavil, Prozac, Effexor combined with trazodone, with probably the best results from the Effexor/trazodone combo. I've also tried talk therapy, but I've never found a therapist who did me the least amount of good (and one made matters worse).

I've had problems with depression for as long as I can remember, way back into childhood, but back in the 1960s no one thought that kids could be depressed. So I was in my 20s before I sought any treatment for it. Perhaps if mental illness hadn't been so stigmatized, my parents would have recognized what was going on and would have gotten me some help. That stigma hasn't entirely gone away, obviously, but I hope more parents are aware that children can suffer from depression and that more kids are getting treatment.

The most frustrating thing about dysthymia is a lack of energy and motivation. To combat it, I try to maintain a reasonably wide range of interests. And the very best medicine I've found is a purring cat on my lap. Fortunately, I have no shortage of purring cats around here.