Correct me if I’m wrong, but there are times that a human being doesn’t even have the awareness that he or she is depressed. You may feel the urge to sleep all hours of the day; you may find yourself drinking booze or smoking marijuana at an alarming rate; or you may find you have basically zero motivation to hang out with friends, to get out and exercise, or even to accomplish mundane tasks like the grocery shopping. And yet, even though your awareness of your depression is limited, you still experience a daily continuum of basic, miserable, numb. It is at these times that it can be particularly helpful for a loved one, a neighbor, a colleague, or even a concerned tollbooth worker to regard you with a look of compassion, and inquire after your well-being. These inquiries can range from a brief you ok? to a far more long-winded accounting of all your concerning behaviors or missed activities over the past few weeks or months. Now, for some of you, those inquires might hit your awareness nerve a little too hard or too abruptly, which might prompt you to reply with an attitude of I’m fine! jerky defensiveness, or, perhaps, a compulsion to paste a plastic smile over your face, so as to dampen their concern and allow you get back to your afternoon drinking binge. Others of you, however, might find yourselves unexpectedly touched by their thoughtfulness, which indicates earnest attention and concern for your overall well-being. Yes, I am depressed, thank you for asking, is the perfect reply, in just such a case. They say that gratitude is the key to feeling love, which might be your first step to actually feeling well again. ❤️‍🔥—Y.B.D.