Cut

Nastiness: a symptom of depression. Said some lady in my mom's group therapy class. Or is it just that the depressed person has been passive and hasn't communicated effectively over years of silent treatment? And then the explosion. And then depression is blamed for the cruelty that falls from my mom's lips. I don't believe depression forces someone to be terrible toward other human beings, toward daughters. Crabby or unhappy? Sure. Manipulative and dirty? Absolutely not. The techniques my mom uses when she's having a less-than stellar day are misguided defense mechanisms she's learned over the years. She can change these things. Depression doesn't mean it's impossible to be kind, to be nice. It doesn't give rights to express yourself however it comes out of your mouth. That's absurd. And it's false. Nastiness is a choice. Quote me on that.