Depression as a conversation stopper

It shouldn't come as a surprise that the topic of depression often leads to a silent, dead end. In the past few months, I've been in touch with some friends and former co-workers. In several cases, when I've explained that I'm out of work due to depression, I've received no response.

As I said, it's not really surprising. The topic of depression breaks a conversation train on a couple of levels. First, it's such an amorphous illness with no tidy set of causes or definitive course of treatment. Sometimes, we're trying to treat the core illness while, at other times, we're trying to ameliorate the symptoms (such as insomnia or myalgia). CBT, ECT, m-o-u-s-e.

Second, when depression is at its ripest, there isn't much else going on. I've worked hard to keep current on a range of topics - technical stuff, politics, world events - but, some days, I've got nothin'. I've been out of work for almost two years and so the technical stuff that I've learned is pretty much in the abstract. I haven't had to create and deliver products with any of that knowledge.

I'm not feeling sorry for myself on this. It is what it is. It's part of the reinvention process - how do I develop new interests and new topics for conversation. I'll let you know how it works out.