The Commercial

by Pat Antonopoulos

"Depression Hurts"
Tag line of the pharmaceutical push to sell a drug.
No argument.
Depression is unbelievably destructive to every life touched by the ripple.
No way in and no way out.
Family and friends struggle to find the way into the damaged place that allowed depression to consume.
The depressed loved one pulled in all the openings and disallows entry.
A stand-off.
In the old western stand-offs a fast moving horse and a rapid-fire-pistol-rescue were scripted.
In the depression stand-off, rescue is a foreign concept to the depressed who refuses 'better living through chemistry" and scoffs at talk therapy.
No argument--depression hurts.