Depression Happens to Successful People

I doubt there is a family on the planet that doesn't somewhere on the
"tree" have a depressive "branch" filled with un-healthy leaves; the alcoholic uncle, the maiden aunt or the stellar cousin could all be the ones who are "motivated by their depression genes..self-medicating, living in reclusion or striving for all the brass rings.
We know them well, we love them and in some families they may be living sub-rosa all our/their lives but you can bet the farm we all have them...we may even share with them this affliction. But when examined closely all families seem to have its share of depressives. When you think about it, what was it about Cain's anger that caused him to murder his brother? Or for that matter what was it about Eve that she had to grab the apple? Maybe depression goes that far back. If depression was't the cause for their behaviour they certainly had to have serious emotional pain as a consequence of their behaviors. Not that all depression is caused by guilt..far from it...but there does seem in most cases a connection. But my point is that it is a very common illness/affliction and one that hopefully has now been recognized as being wide-spread and should be treated openly and without the shame associated with it in times past. So the more forth-coming on the part of those considered "success-stories" the sooner may we find and seek the help for those afflicted. Good for those who are trying to shed the light of compassion on this common but debilitating disease and talk about its complications publically.

to me a "successful depressive" is any one of us who has depression and is alive.
screw myths!! if a mind believes some thing to be true, it most certainly is to that mind, at that moment.
having given up the need to convince others that my depression is real, my days of hiding in closets, hiding the steak knives from myself, and buying into the opinion of fools that it's all in my head, I can say that I don't know where you get the idea that it is a common myth that only unsuccessful people are inflicted with depression...that's bull!!
it certainly is no comfort to me that CEOs, etc, also suffer from the black hole of the mind's tricks..

I was the one who left the above post! Sorry for not putting my name on it; I get confused when the Chapta shows up!

Whenever I share with someone who's working with a family member with depression that I'm bipolar, they always say, "yeah, but you're functioning". I've held down a teaching job for 17 years. I haven't always functioned well, but yes, I'm functioning. That could be the definition of a "successful depressive" - one who's "functioning". funny, I always thought words like "functioning" and "sufficient" weren't enough, but now I've learned that good enough sometimes is just good enough.

I am currently in the midst of my 5th or 6th or 7th (I can't recall) major depressive episode. I am not bipolar but was just diagnosed with serious major depression. First time hospitalized. "Functioning"? Yes, I guess I used to be. Other things become less important when you are fighting for your life. That's something I don't think most people believe or understand: that you truly are fighting for your life.