Mahayana,

I am way on the counseling end of this spectrum.
Me too! I had been seeing a wonderful therapist in CT but then I moved. I got the name of a great therapist here in MI from my friend and have an appt tomorrow night with him. Medication is only HALF the treatment. That along with talking to someone go hand in hand.

As far as people saying "Come on, pull yourself up by your bootstraps and move on!!" If it were THAT easy, I would've done it years ago. People who don't suffer from depression and anxity have absolutely NO idea what it's like. I hated being at the mercy of my chemical imbalance. But I feel like I am in control and my life is on an even keel.

My cats have also played a MAJOR part in my life. I've gone through alot in my 50 years. It wasn't till I got my first cat (Mollie Rose, now 9) that I found someone who would love me unconditionally.

I also write which brings me great comfort. When my Dad passed away back in 1997, I began a story of his life and my life, how difficult a childhood he had and how he succummed to alcoholism, and me as the sole caretaker of an elderly, alcoholic parent. It took me 6 years to write it, a little bit at a time, but it's done. I just need to find a magazine or newspaper to publish it. It was a very "healing" thing for me. That's why my passion is writing and cats.