@minneapolis123

Hi, John. When I began to spiral downward, I couldn't pinpoint any triggers. The doctors and therapists seem to think that I need to acknowledge them. But life was going well at the time. Of course, the more depressed I became, the more I was affected by the difficult things that, if I hadn't been depressed, I could have dealt with.

So I have a sense of how terribly difficult it is to deal with the things you wrote about when you're so far from well.

It seems unconscionable that the Seattle health community is failing to see, and acknowledge, and refer you to the people who could help you. I hope that you are finding a way to get around those roadblocks to access competent and compassionate care. It's unfortunate that you have to involve an attorney. That should not be.

Was the time in the hospital helpful? Are you able to see that your son's problems are his own, and not carry any guilt as a parent? I worked for a long time with therapists on sorting through my own guilt and shame, and doing so was vital to achieve any sort of recovery.

I'm glad that you've been able to figure out how to navigate the dialogue in this group.

Jim