A Depressed Psychiatrist
A Short Letter
Dear Emmanuel,
I hope this letter finds you well, my Dear Friend and Psychologist. I have written to you to vent and also to generate a record; Lest I should forget the gems of my suffering once this cloud passes.
I have noticed of late a cloud hanging over my head. A heavy grey cloud blocking out the sun. Something that I thought was a passing malaise has lingered and transformed into a raging fire of active purgation.
Oh notice how my metaphor switched from clouds to fire in a moment? This fluidity is a mystery.
Put no thought into that, it is probably just a construct of my depressive state. It has loosened my boundaries a fair bit and allowed my freedom and creativity to emerge.
Being a professional, just like you, I have diagnosed myself as having high functioning depression.
HFD is an odd thing. And not without some significant benefits. I will share them with you today.
Firstly, I noticed a heightened empathy for the suffering of my patients. What used to be an interesting case study has now evolved into a real human being pouring her pain to me. And guess what, I actually like it. I feel seen.