it’s what we should do
my name is Athena and I am depressed
today how not to begin a college
admissions essay cheer up love it may
never happen they say smile don’t sigh
snap out of it just try why these are
lies and they hurt just as much as
slashes on thighs and make depress
people retreat into saying I’m fine on
the fall smile just like mine depression
has no quick before and after it makes
me laugh to think that you can pull
yourself together from sunk to go get a
blue to wear lettuce dr. trendsetter
when someone’s in distress personal or
existential it’s not to be diminished
not inconsequential
please don’t say hang in there be the
rainbow in another’s cloud make your
mother proud say affirmations out loud
have you tried meditation oh you’ll be
a-ok peachy keen better than you’ve ever
been
please don’t be a jerk with chili to
perk give me an H give me an a give me a
PP why I’ve been pretending to be happy
for so long that I don’t know who I am
anymore backpacking through Europe to
find my true self has a certain appeal
but the hippie hypothetical seems unreal
it’s not quick recovery but the daily
jugglery of depression that’s heroic
it’s the keeping on keeping on that
stoic
please don’t say have you tried these
pills as if they are a cure for all my
ills despite the name hun
antidepressants another gloom be gone
don’t get me wrong medicine P a few gift
more problems than you give away how can
you be depressed when you live in such a
paradise as a bloke that depression
isn’t sadness it’s like being choked
JK Rowling called it a hollowed out
feeling an absence of hope inside the
Dementors a depression personified if I
had a physical illness you wouldn’t
prescribe sunshine and palm trees
secured the pain so why do you think
they can treat a chemical imbalance in
the brain depressed people are not
feeble or small talented and depressed
here’s a quick roll call Harrison Ford I
guess you should just go snap out of it
han Solo the rock maybe if you rapped on
and pulled yourself together mr. Johnson
Beyonce perhaps just maybe should try a
little bit harder queen bee
so what does work anti the angst
gratitude giving thanks going for a walk
getting off the bench
so we tour amble and oh and Latin if you
want to be pretend patience love
acceptance repeat patience love and
acceptance also pausing to wonder at the
wonderful for instance instead of
researching Socrates and other martyrs I
spent an afternoon marveling at sock
garters these little moments of self
amusement help gain the ground for self
improvement even little hints of joy can
spark a smile which in turn can treat
the black bile with this you might just
manage the damage by faking it til you
make it through therapy and hot tea
slowly steadily you might feel better
not worse and then to carry your baggage
like a Chanel purse
bit by bit step by step you might just
cheer up love even though it did happen
you might be to drag yourself out of bed
put on some clothes face an audience and
say my name is Athena and I’m depressed
thank you [Applause]