Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Interview with a Vampire

Today I was very lucky to get someone to sit with me to talk about clinical depression.  Anything he shares with us in the interview are things he (and his "victims") believe to be true.

And now lets get started:

Interview with a Vampire  --- Part 1

Good evening, I am so glad that you agreed to this little interview.

So glad I can be here.

Can you share with my readers a little about yourself?

Sure.  Most people don't know that I really exsist.  But I do.  Those that know me know me by several names: bipolar, manic depression, or clinical depression.  I am the illness that befalls millions of people.

But you said you were a Vampire.

Oh, but I am.  I do my very best to suck the life out of the people I "chose" to make sick.  I am on them everyday 24-7-365.  It's a pretty steady gig.

So how do you go about "sucking the life" out of these people?

Well first let me tell you that I am different from the "blues" or just plain old depression.

How so?

Well the blues is something a lot of people get.  It's a lot like plain old depression.  That is what I will call situational depression.  It happens to people that have just experienced a loss of some sort usually.  Like someone dies, a pet dies, you lose your job, you are having money problems things like that.  When the situation passes or gets better the depression will lift.

And you aren't that kind of depression?  What kind are you?

I am clinical depression.  I am the depression that won't go away.  I am the one that messes up the chemical blance in your brain.  I am more of a physical depression, not a situational one.

Ok, I think I am beginning to understand what you are saying.  Can we now talk about how you effect people?  How you treat them?

HA HA.....I treat them really good.  First I make them depressed.  Then I start working my way into their brain, their life and some people say I go right for the soul as well.

You sound very proud of what you do.

I am.  No one does it better than me.  I can make people do all sorts of things that they normally wouldn't do, or for that matter would ever think of doing.

I don't understand.

Of course you don't.  If you and others understand there would be no need for this interview would there?

Let me try to explain in terms that you and your readers might understand.  Depression can strike anyone.  Any age, social status, wealth, race anyone will suit my purposes just fine.

First off I get people so they can't work.  They can't get out bed, cry for no reason, can't concentrate, can't do much of anything but lay in bed and cry.

Sometimes I will get them to isulate themselves more and more.  They will lose some -- if not all -- friends, family members will go by the way side also.

Why is this?  Why do people leave?

Depressed people are well depressing.  Who wants to hang around a cry baby?  Someone that "can't" meet you for lunch?  And most "normal" people don't understand true clinical depression.  They think it is something that doesn't really exsist.  It's just the blues and that you should just "shake it off",  or "get over it".

And depressed people can't just get over it?

Right.  And that makes my work easier.  I keep people in bed and crying as long as I can.  They will usually go to a doctor and get medicine and it will work great for some of them.

But not everyone?

Right. Some will never be able to get back to anything close to "normal".  The meds don't work for them, or will work for awhile and then stop working and something new will have to be tried.

I love it.  These people I can slowly -- but surely -- suck the life out of.  I get people to wear the same clothes for days, up to a month or longer if I do my job really well.  And they will stop bathing.  Why? Too much effort.  And they just don't feel like it.

And eating!  This is great.  Most of the meds will make them gain weight.  And some will cause cravings for fatting foods.  My people will also find cooking a meal hard if not impossible.  So they will eat junk food, order pizza, or go thru fast food drive thrus.

Wouldn't it be easier to cook that go out for fast food?

Heck no.  Cooking requires more effort than I will let my people have.  They would have to go grocery shopping, and then think about what they want to eat, get up off that really comfy couch and go fix the food.  Easier to get in car and go thru a drive thru.  And this helps me to help them to keep packing on the weight which in turn makes them feel worse.  Makes me feel great though.

This is a lot to take in.  I'm not sure if my readers can "get" depression just yet.

Give them time to digest what I have said.  Then come back and I'll give you another interview.  Maybe by then your readers will start to believe more of what I have to say.

Well thank you so much for sitting down with me for this interview.  I know that we have barely scratched the surface of what you do with your "victims" (as you call them.)

So that's part 1 of this interview.  More to come.  Hopefully the "vampire" will share more of his world with us soon.

Kathy

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just to say I love you dear & thinking about you.
In my prayers as always,
Sug

Anonymous said...

wow. I am in tears reading this. I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety about 12 years ago. No one ever "gets" it. This entry puts into words exactly how I feel. Thank you for this entry.

Tracie

Anonymous said...

very good description

Anonymous said...

you have explained severe depression  very well, I can relate to this as a close family member has got manic drepression and it doe's bring everyone around down too...waiting for part two.

Astra!
http://journals.aol.co.uk/astra1547/astrasjournal

Anonymous said...

You did a service here. I had no idea that there aren't medicines around that work for everyone eventually. That's depressing too. I thought that combinations of meds work for some people. <sigh>

Angela

Anonymous said...

Very informative.   Very sad, but very informative.   I am going to send a link to my sister, who's son suffers much with depression.   Am awaiting Part 2
~Meg

Anonymous said...

this so explains everything I have been going through...I am going to copy it and print it out...send it to family members...maybe they will get the hint..thanks for sharing it...BTW..I cried right through it...it says what I could not put into words...
Peace
Ellie

Anonymous said...

Excellent work, Cathy, I'll link this to a friend who might benefit.

Anonymous said...

Well, likewise, am going to print this off and leave it around for Mum to pick up. Just by reading this and seeing other entries makes me feel understood...i know my friend does, which is why they sent me the link. Thank you. Susy.

Anonymous said...

Boy oh boy, was this good!  

You told it just like it is.  I was impressed, I AM STILL impressed.

I am Merry, and my journal is http://journals.aol.com/merry1621/Merrysthoughtshopesdreamsgoal/

My email is merry1621@aol.com.
Along with chonic back pain due to my neck and back and the resuts of surgeries which didn't go so well, along with other problems, I have as you many know or read, and a chronic anxiety problem, and I have battled it for more years than you are probably old.  Since I deal with depression, and insomina too, I thought you and I might indeed have some common ground.


I am emailing you about my seession with mye pyschiatirst I saw today.   I have a strong feeling you will identify with what happened to me.

Hugs, and great article!
Merry

Anonymous said...

Having struggled with depression for most of my life and having a sister and daughter who are BiPolar I can relate to this. But...I could never have expressed it as eloquently as you have. Bless you hon. I am so glad you wrote this, that you shared yourself with us all. Love you so much and admire your as well. You're in inspiration to many, including me.
HUGE HUGS,
Barb- http://journals.aol.com/barbpinion/HEYLETSTALK
        http://journals.aol.com/barbpinion/HOPEFORTODAY

Anonymous said...

Hi Kathy,
Man, can I relate to this.  I've been in a funk lately, sometimes just get all wigged out.  I think you know how I may be feeling.
Donna

Anonymous said...

What and awsom entry, you sure explain it a lot better than anything else I have read on the subject.
Barbara

Anonymous said...

I'll be honest with you, Kathy -- I had to scroll through some parts because it just hit WAY too close to home.  

Anonymous said...

Superb job............well done

Anonymous said...

Very good description!!! BTW I love A Rose is a Rose too!

Anonymous said...

wow, that's all I have to say. This is so true, I know my ex friend Mike is so like that.

Anonymous said...

I just found your journal, and I have to say that was very good!  I myself was just diagnosed with Bipolar last year and have had a problem with one of my friends not understanding it to the point that she's telling other people that my mind's messed up.  She told another person that people with Bipolar start arguments and create problems where there are none, because she read it off some so-called Bipolar and depression help site.  I'm gonna send her here to read this, I think your "interview" will help her better than some of those so-called sites.  Thanks for this!

Amanda

Anonymous said...

This is so well done.  I have been on meds for anxiety/depression for years now, and, thankfully, my brain responds well to them.  But I know so many people who just don't understand what depression is and how is destroys a person.  I really appreciate your taking the time to do these entries.  I am reading you via CarnivAOL, btw.  Look forward to getting to know you better.

Lori