Notes From the Prozac Nation, Vol 1, No. 9

• Life Interrupted: The Star Tribune (MN) has a thoughtful piece on Spalding Gray's tragic suicide and the unfinished work he left behind. Here is a bit from the review of his book:
  Reading his last bit of work is like seeing his depression in a faceted funhouse mirror. We're so used to this person letting us in on everything that it comes as a total shock when he decides to leave the stage at 62. Why didn't he warn us? Did he? Did we miss that part?
  
  "Life Interrupted" is full of dark omens, with his life-loving Irish host dropping dead, mad cow disease gripping the country and jolly, incompetent Irish doctors giving him half-attentive treatment. When his story is cut short, see if you don't find yourself re-reading bits in order to fill in the blanks. The other eerie and sad aspect of the way the book is organized is that it gives the impression that Spalding Gray is present for his own eulogy, listening in and gathering material.
  
  

• A Depression Patch: Check this out. I am sort of surprised to hear that this new antidepressants exists. Although, I guess it has its kinks (it is a MAOI type of antidepresant), which means you have to watch out what you eat.



• Shawn Colvin's Blues: Here's another article about a musician struggling with depression. I always feel conflicted by these sort of human interest stories. On the one hand, by admitting that she is battling with depression and has found successful treatment, she is giving lots of other lesser folks the courage to come forward. On the other hand, this "news story" reads like a covert advertisement for Wellbutrin. I wouldn't be surprised if she has or will start doing commercials for GlaxoSmithKline. I want to be excited about what Big Pharma does for us, but it always seems sneaky to me that they manipulate stories like this to sell their product. I wonder, in fact, if this story started as a press release from their offices.

• What Is Delay Taking?: If anyone saw Jon Stewart's bit on Delay's mug shot and his sense of "joy and peace" about his indictment, you can't help but ask how that man can be so damn happy. What is he on? Good lord, whatever it is, it looks way better than Prozac.