YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

We didn't get it half as bad as folks in Staten Island, New Jersey, Long Island. Our power was out for 10 days - it got pretty cold and funky (no running water) for a bit but we survived.

A couple of interesting things happened....

After a day or two of snapping at each other - my wife and I seemed to have made the unspoken agreement to stay off of each others' nerves. We suddenly got really nice and even considerate to each other. Maybe we were just trying to keep each other or the kids from freaking out but we made it intact.

And at some point, my depression just went away. I'm guessing some sort of survival instinct (must find gas, D batteries, heat....) took over. But looking back on it now - even if I could go without depression for any length of time - going with out power is worse

Anyone else have any war stories? I've got pictures of gas lines, downed trees and ripped up power lines if anyone is curious.

No war stories here, but I have to say that I want to know more about what it was like to have your depression go away! Musta been nice!

I don't think it really went away... I just didn't have the emotional bandwidth to dwell on it. There were bigger issues occupying that part of my mind that usually has time to be depressed.

I guess there's a lesson there. But like I said, I wouldn't go back to that week and a half again - even if it meant getting out of my broken brain for a bit.

I've noticed that sometimes having a physical thing to focus on and consider ends up being more beneficial than just thinking and worrying about the mental things. Example, I'm currently in a glass blowing class. i can't just stay in my head there, I need to be aware of my surroundings to not burn myself or others the entire time i'm working on a piece or assisting someone else with a piece. When everything is going well it's just me and the glass, it's so nice. The same thing happens when I'm working on woodcut relief prints, i'm focused on not stabbing myself that whatever else is on my mind fades away.

Possibly being without power for so long and having people relying on you for safety, entertainment and assurance you were able to channel your personal negative energies elsewhere and for a short while they quieted down.

I'm glad to hear you survived the storm with little personal damage. And as bad as it was without power and the stress that brings that you attained some sort of peace, even if it was for a short while.