Closest relatable point. They can’t relate to clinical depression so the closest thing available in their “corpus” of states as available synonym is “melancholy”. Hence, “snap out of it!” and other more dangerous than helpful bits of advice.
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I also cannot relate to clinical depression. I can relate to melancholy. *However*, I can imagine a highly amplified state of melancholy that goes beyond my ability to relate to, much as how I can only hear up to 5000 hz but I can imagine octaves far higher than 5000 hz even though I’ll never physically hear them.
So, knowing that others hear notes I cannot, yet I know they must exist, I accept both my limitations (inability to experience clinical depression) while respecting those who have such abilities.
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Melancholy for me is an undercurrent. It’s always there under the river that flows directly above it. My feet play in it while I swim through life but I don’t allow the current to pull me in. A river under a river. What keeps me from going there? Fear of a loss of a sense of self-control and fear of being accountable for actions coming from me that ‘happen’.
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Roleplaying has kept me where I am as well. I play the role of therapist to a few people. Always have. When faced with “naked me” in the spotlight? I don’t do well if I’m not performing.
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Thanks 
🙂 I’m ok. I think one of the reasons why I’m continually expressing *something* (writing, making videos or whatever) is sort of a continual purging. I don’t think I really hold back, just express metaphorically. But should I loosen the bounds of the demons-in-boxes within, I’ll find you (online not… stalking like ’cause that’s not my way…the internet’s my passport to the planet)
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facing itself. I face fears incrementally but I fear facing fears ‘too much at once”.
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