Dear patient,

I hope that you believe me when I say there's hope that you'll recover from your depression, even though you can't see it now. I hope you believe me when I tell you that you haven't done anything wrong, that it's not that you're a bad person, or that you just haven't tried hard enough. I hope that you can hear me when I talk about the disease that depression is, about how it robs you of perspective and hope and energy and strength and the ability to all those things you used to be able to do like show up for work, or be social, or wash your dirty dishes for weeks on end, or even shower. I hope that you can believe me when I tell you that it's your disease that's crippling you - not your character, or your mettle, or your will.

Because maybe if I can be convincing enough to you, I can convince myself.

xoxo

constance

p.s. When I hold your hand, you're holding mine.