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"But I had intervention...from God."

Your point is taken. I should state that personally, I'm an agnostic (who is very respectful of religion). From my perspective, yes, you helped yourself through your acceptance of God. That's why I said "through religion or simple optimism or whatever"... I would actually have to be not-agnostic to attribute all credit to God :) From my perspective, as long as I'm still agnostic, I have to give you the credit :)

Your point is still well taken. I do agree that depression can have physiological causes. I don't think that's AUTOMATIC the way most people seem to - honestly, I think it's the exception rather than the rule, like the claim that being gay is physiological and not a choice. Sometimes - but not usually.

However, I do believe in free will and that people can persevere, without drugs, even in the case of physiological depression. If I were Catholic, I'd say that everyone has a cross to bear, and that would be theirs, just like I have mine.

Actually, I fit several symptoms of having depression - I am more of a hermit than anyone I know, and can be obsessive compulsive (like posting!) But I'm not -sad- in any way. Is my isolation physiological? Dunno. But I refuse to go take a drug for it. I should get out of the house more, I can always do so, and it's up to me to make that happen. I'm not going to blame a chemical imbalance on it. And Rush didn't blame anyone else for his imbalance. That's why he has my respect.

Qwinn

I understand -- my dad (my hero) is agnostic. 'Though I can assure you (even though I generally do *not* evangelize) that it wasn't me. :)

Actually, I fit several symptoms of having depression - I am more of a hermit than anyone I know, and can be obsessive compulsive (like posting!) But I'm not -sad- in any way. Is my isolation physiological? Dunno. But I refuse to go take a drug for it. I should get out of the house more, I can always do so, and it's up to me to make that happen. I'm not going to blame a chemical imbalance on it.

I agree some people turn to the soma vacation at the slightest provocation -- but I also believe some people don't get medical help when it's needed. Trying to cure a physiological depression by your bootstraps doesn't work -- anymore than trying to cure diabetes that way would. Unconventional behavior is not depression -- heck, now I'm fine, yet I'm a hermit and spend too much time here posting:-) When you're depressed, trust me, you know it -- no need to check the symptom list.

I respect Rush, too -- I was confident that he would be honest about this, and indeed he was.