My Cage of Depression.

Ok, so it's not exactly an upbeat title. And it's a little pretentious. :D

But that's me...not very upbeat and kind of pretentious.

I always wish I could be like Stan Lee from Marvel Comics, this positive driver of fandom, and uplifting spokesperson of my projects, but truth is that's just not me.

I'm socially awkward and do suffer from clinical depression.

Luckily, unlike my avatar Norman T. Platypus, I have a very good therapist. In a recent session I told him about how I've gotten a lot out of seeing depression talked about in three things I've watches on TV lately: Netflix's 'Bojack Horseman', Chris Gethard's HBO comedy special 'Career Suicide', and Neal Brenna's '3 Mics' also on Netflix.

It was the end of the session so my therapist wrapped up by saying "I'm glad you're getting so much out of the depression community".

Suddenly, I lit up! "Depression Community"! I liked that! As much as i realize I my depression weighs on me and makes things difficult, I find I also don't want to be completely upbeat. I want to be realistic. Part of that is realizing that my depression, although deeply felt by me, isn't completely real, but then again either is the thought I can be Stan Lee. I can only be me. I think that's the real way to overcoming my depression. It seems like everyone is always telling people to "cheer up", maybe it's OK for some of us to listen to/talk about what's actually going on instead. Both the positive and the negative.

So here I am, and hopefully here I'll be posting more, tying this into 'My Cage', and trying to add a little more to the 'Depression Community' I have gotten so much out of recently. 

Or maybe I'll just get some haters telling me to suck it up.

Either way, it's is OK. Haters amuse me anyway. :)

More to come...I hope.

-Ed Power, the Anti-Stan Lee (although I do love Stan Lee, but you know what I mean ; ) )