Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: distressed
  • Music: The Barr Brothers, "Beggar in the Morning."

There are lines. Please stop crossing them.

When I posted about depression, I said that I was giving myself comment amnesty; I said that I might not (probably would not) read the comments.

Since then, people have contacted me via email (when they had it), via my old email (which I rarely check), via my contact form, via Facebook, and via my Tumblr, to give me their phone numbers, to tell me not to hurt myself (which I did not threaten to do), to provide crisis hotlines, to make suggestions about medication (which I did not solicit), and in one case, to threaten to report me to the police as a suicide risk if I did not update my blog immediately to show that I was still alive.

Please. Stop. "Comment amnesty" did not mean "work harder to make sure that your words, your well wishes, your specific need to engage with my depression will be heard." I try to keep open dialogs on this blog, and I usually appreciate communication, but right now, this contact is intrusive, and upsetting, and seems to prioritize the needs of the contacting person above mine. Please. Stop.

This is why I do not talk when I am sad.
Tags: depression, shameless plea
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  • 222 comments

jeleyne

January 14 2014, 01:30:25 UTC 3 years ago

Your post clearly stated it was about some months past, not where you were at that moment. Some people are insensitive idiots and don't pay attention. Grrr. Many have noted that it was a brave post. It was. It is also one of the most clearly written, eloquent descriptions of depression that I have seen. The next time I have to try to explain the malady to someone who Just Doesn't Understand It, I plan to pull out a copy and hand it to them. So I thank you for that - and for sticking around.

seanan_mcguire

January 14 2014, 18:48:35 UTC 3 years ago

Very welcome.