Finding the Right Way To Disclose a Disability

I've been in touch with friends and former managers to talk about the possibility of returning to work. One of the key topics is how I address the time that I've not been working. There is still a lot of prejudice and misunderstanding regarding any kind of medical disability, let alone depression. I will be honest, but also cautious.
The Wall Street Journal provides some helpful tips when talking with current or future employers regarding your disability: Finding the Right Way To Disclose a Disability

A year later

This time last year I was in the hospital, 8-East at UMass. I can't really tell if that's a long time ago or not. If we measure it by the amount of change (new psychiatrist, new meds, overall improvements), then it seems like a lot. As we get older, however, a year passes quickly, no matter what the circumstances might be.
The hospital stay was an important part of my recovery. It brought a new focus to my treatment, notably by first having a team at the hospital that instituted a new treatment regimen, which led to a change of psychiatrists and a new anti-depressant. (The anti-depressant, Emsam, is an old class of medication delivered in a new way.) With continued counseling and bouyed by the amazing support of Sandra, the rest of my family, and friends, I've been able to make good progress. I can now think about the future; this time last year, I could barely think about what I'd be doing after lunch.
I first heard the phrase, "It takes a village to raise a child," at a church conference in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1990 or so. It made sense then and it makes sense now, whether we're talking about a child or about any person in any kind of need. I live in a good village.

It's a good day, even if the piano is silent.

A. chastised me a bit because I posted a link such as this when I hadn't written anything here for nearly a month. Point well-taken.
In sum, I'm doing well, better for a longer stretch than any time in more than a couple of years. A. will usually ask me, "Out of seven days, how many days are good days?" For the last month, it's been six or seven good days in a week. The tough days (which aren't so very tough when compared to any days, say, this time last year) are most often triggered by bad sleep. We still don't know the combination of psychological, chemical, and environmental factors that can predictably lead to good sleep.
The current meds, combined with the cumulative effects of previous treatments (ECT, CBT, M-o-u-s-e), let me say, without a wild tangle of equivocation, that I'm doing pretty well.

A guy is in his hospital bed after surgery. The doctor comes in, reviews the charts, and says, "Very good."
"Will I be able to play the piano when I get out of here, Doc?" the patient asks.
"Certainly," says the doctor. "I see no reason why you shouldn't be able to do that."
"Great. I never could before."

So, let's enjoy these better days. There's plenty to do, even if playing the piano isn't on the list for today.

Thoughts for your next walk

The news tells us that exercise is helpful,even for treatment-resistant depression. The news also tells us that exercise doesn't affect depression or mood much at all. Or,maybe it does. “Exercise may still be beneficial for patients being treated for an anxiety or depressive disorder,” said the researcher in the latter study.
While it's easy to be flippant about these conflicting reports, it's also good to note that there is a lot of research focused on finding out which treatments will work for which people. It seems that not only may we be genetically predisposed to certain illnesses, we may also be predisposed to certain treatments. Matching the treatment with the genetic profile of the patient will be the next big breakthrough in medicine.
Until then, there's no shortage of advice on what to do or not do, what to take or not take.