Hi Welby,
I lived with clinical depression for over ten years. But signs of depression began in my teens, which was left unattended and evolved into fully blown depression later in life.
The "knowledge" is more to do with just been able to think more clearly and rationally than I did when I had depression. Depression, as you would know yourself, impairs our thinking and ability to reason. So now I just think like an average, mentally healthy person instead of a depressed person
I really dig that quote you made: "There is a fundamental difference between wanting to change, and being WILLING to change". I like how this quote makes a finer distinction, and acts a good reminder.
I will keep this quote nearby if I ever become stagnant and need a wake up call.
I feel you. It is a struggle between wanting to change, and whether or not we are WILLING to do what is necessary to change. The wanting part comes naturally--it is the
doing part that is so hard, especially when you've got obstacles such as depression hijacking your thoughts, emotions, and energy.
But then you have the added problem of when you ARE willing to change, and you do what is necessary, but nothing you try seems to be working or even alleviating the unbearable pain. Then you become disheartened, lose hope, you're exhausted, and then you think: "What's the point".
This is where we must resist the urge to throw in the towel, even when we feel like we can no longer cope. We all have the ability to be a depression survivor instead of a victim of it. It doesn't take special skills, talent, or even intelligence...
It just takes perseverance.
I believe in YOU, just as I believe in everyone else here. I can't say if everyone here
will get through it and be a survivor, but I know that everyone CAN.