I re-read my blog on 'The Empty' chair, and was again overwhelmed by the response. Another blog was on 'labelling' mental illness. I looked back over recent blogs and found the subject matter so wide, despite the basic premise of a system to help with depression. Shelley might have covered the subject: 'Lift not the painted veil which those who live call 'Life'.

The 'easiest' to name are those actually diagnosed as 'bi-polar', it IS recognised, there ARE treatments, the choice is stark – level yourself out with strong medication and forego the 'highs and lows'.

Then there is 'just' depression. Coming unannounced, debilitating, risking relationships, making any normal life a challenge – being taken for malingering, just a plain misery – difficult to treat, time-consuming, expensive, holding down a job and trying to keep a 'normal' face, exhausting. The worst hurdle seems to be getting anybody to listen at all, and then hope treatment, any treatment, will be available.

Self-esteem, being beholden, grateful, feeling of no worth, that your input, in family, work, voluntary work, does not really matter, or get noticed. Retirement, being on the 'scrap heap'. Yesterday's blog (8th June) is on 'boundaries' and people struggling with a wide range of emotions and relationships.

Only recently the Moodscope team has accepted blogs which deal with suicide – previously un-published, regarded as depressive in itself, but the fact that many depressed people will have these 'black ideas' (French description) means it needs airing.

'Treatments' get a good airing: the 'meds', counselling, mindfulness, yoga, psychotherapy – and always, the challenge of being listened to, and appointments with doctors.

Then there are 'one off' people – or, of course, they may have chosen another pseudonym to broach another subject.

And, for me, a weird sort of 'stress' generated by bloggers and posters when they 'disappear', Bear currently. We are free agents, Moodscope is a forum, we do not have to report in. But I don't think I am alone in hoping they are OK, that Moodscope has done its job, and not that they have gone 'downhill' and cannot even ask for support and comfort here?

The Gardener

A Moodscope member.