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You are strong even if you deal with depression. You are strong even if you deal with anxiety. You are strong even if you are sad, even if you cry, even if you rage. You are strong for existing, because this can be a hard world to exist in. You are strong if you need to take a haitus, you are strong if you need to stop what you're doing because it's hurting you. We are adaptable creatures designed to learn and grow.

That said, people often act surprised when someone who seems happy, famous, popular, or strong commits suicide. None of these elements mean you aren't depressed it just means people don't KNOW you're depressed, or write off your depression because you're too rich/famous/fulfilled to be depressed.

But depression, like a parasite, doesn't care. It feasts on the weak and the strong. It feasts on those who have it all, and those who have none, and everyone in between. Depression doesn't care who the victim is, or what they've done or haven't yet done. Depression feasts regardless.

Depression can be situational. It can be diasphoria. It can be hormonal. It can be chemical. It can be all of the above. But it doesn't make you a bad person, or a weak person. And it doesn't mean you have to be strong to carry others. We should carry one another.

Comics is a hard life. Isolation. Instability. Lack of income. Lack of emotional support. Long hours. Physically grueling work. Comics will eat you alive, just like depression.

Conventions is a hard life, for artists. Much of the above applies, but we're expected to be 'on' at the convention. Friendly, approachable, funny. Infinitely interested in others, but not pushing the sale too hard, despite our income depending on it. We have to be liked conventions sales are a lifestyle purchase. Our products have to be good. We have to offer excellent customer service. We're expected to be it all product designer, manufacturor, and rep. Little slack is given when a sale is lost in an instant, and loyalty is fleeting.

This is a hard road, and I see you. Even if you aren't ADHD, and you struggle with depression, I see you. I see you especially if you struggle with ADHD constantly feeling one beat off, manic when everyone else is somber, tired when everyone is upbeat. Always too much, yet somehow never enough I see you. And you are not alone.


IF YOU NEED HELP:
List of Suicide Crisis Phonelines: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
'US Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lines: http://www.suicide.org/suicidehotlin...

ONLINE Prevention Chats: http://www.suicidestop.com/suicide_pr...
Suicide Prevention Resources: https://www.sprc.org/