The madness of depression is, generally speaking, the antithesis of violence. It is a storm indeed, but a storm of murk.

Depression often creeps in silently, like a thick fog that gradually envelops one's mind and soul. It is not a blatant outburst of aggression but a hidden turmoil within.

Those suffering from depression may feel a sense of heaviness, as if an unseen force is dragging them down. Their world becomes a shade of gray, lacking the vibrant colors and joys that once filled it.

The storm of depression can cause intense emotional pain, leaving the individual feeling isolated, hopeless, and lost. It is a battle fought within the confines of one's own mind, a struggle that is often invisible to the outside world.

Understanding and empathy are crucial in helping those who are dealing with depression. By reaching out and offering support, we can help them find their way out of the murky storm and back into the light.

Spring entered, laughing at my sad tunes.

Spring called my name when I asked who it was.

Spring put its flowers beside me and left.

And what do the flowers do for the dead? Amazing!

This is from Salah Jahin.

The memoirs of an American writer describe his sufferings with depression, that insidious disease that shrouds your mind in a dark cloud that only you can see. True pain for those who have lived it and lose the will to live, and compounded pain because you feel that those around you cannot measure the extent of your sufferings and think it is weakness and cowardice. The suffering began when he was on a trip to Paris to receive a prestigious award and felt a sense of inadequacy and inferiority and a feeling of self-neglect. He told of the symptoms that pained him and his attempts at treatment through psychotherapy and medication until he was forced to enter the hospital. He thought about suicide every day. He told of his experience with medication and how it had an effect that he wouldn't feel for weeks. He also tried to list the reasons he thought led to this, including his sudden abstinence from alcohol and his father's history of being ill with this disease and losing his mother at an early age... These true memoirs describe for you the hell of life with this disease and hope for a lot of understanding and empathy from you.

Greetings and condolences to all those with depression.

There is something lacking and I don't know what it is? Something that didn't make the book thrilling as the opinions about it have shown. Because I didn't quite resonate with the book due to my lack of experience with the disease of depression. And what comes to one of us at times is not called depression but rather a kind of worry about the hazy future or a kind of sadness.

The experience with the disease of depression by the writer William Styron tried to convey his journey with this disease from the beginning to the cure.

Indeed, you won't be able to know the real reasons that lead to depression or even the reasons for recovery. Maybe the increase in the number of suicides in Egypt in recent times due to depression, especially among the youth, makes the matter more mysterious. And there are some reasons as William Styron mentioned in the book such as low self-esteem or criticism or loss of love.

In the end, it is a true experience for the writer but unfortunately I didn't identify with it.

Depression, which knows no bounds in terms of age, race, religion, and class, poses a significant threat, especially to women and artists (particularly poets). In several important sections of his book, William Styron dissects and corrects the misbeliefs surrounding depression. From writings that naively assume all forms of depression are easily controllable to quick-fix remedies that he deems as nothing more than charlatans' tricks and the gullibility of readers who are swayed by promises of rapid cures!

The intense pain of severe depression is completely unimaginable to those who have not experienced it. Preventing many suicides is only possible if the public becomes aware of the nature of this pain. Although some manage to recover from depression through medication, treatment, and hospitalization, the vast majority who are forced to give up their lives are just as worthy of sympathy as the terminal cancer patients.

Depression has various causes and a mysterious nature. Compared to other debilitating diseases, it reveals its secrets with great difficulty. According to the author, depression has such complex causes, symptoms, and treatment methods that the results obtained from one person's experience are by no means sufficient for generalization. Even in the course of drug treatment, the patient's improvement is largely dependent on the individual's overall motivation and response, such that the dosage prescribed for one person may be ineffective or even cause another person to relapse. However, a large number of patients who have overcome depression will relapse again. Depression is recurrent... a cruel torture.

Styron's American explanations are not limited to such enlightened interpretations and corrections. In the second chapter, he describes the interesting experiences of a close friend with Romania and the capture of him and his ex-wife, Jane Styron, in the storm of depression. These experiences also refer to the author's deep susceptibility (in his youth) to the writings of Albert Camus.

In the Persian translation, the word "Madness" at the end of the book's title, "Darkness visible: a memoir of madness," has been reduced in meaning to "Depression." Although the reason for this is understandable, it is not justifiable. The author begins the fourth chapter of his book with a strong objection to the superficial and ineffective nature of the word "Depression" in naming this terrifying and uncontrollable disease. In his opinion, acute depression is a type of mental breakdown, and the simple word "depression" does not convey the severity of the disease and the depth of the patient's pain and suffering.

Since the author's discussion and argument have been largely ignored through the clever (!) manipulation of the book's title in the Persian translation, it is necessary to emphasize here that William Styron's experiences in "Visible Darkness: A Memoir of Depression" are centered around "major depression," and the occasional sadness that modern humans are more prone to than ever before is no small matter in this book.

Overall, the translation of the book's text in terms of correcting and replacing the conventional equivalents of words and phrases in the Persian language lacks the necessary precision and care. The closer we get to the end of the book, the more the problems and shortcomings of the translation's meaning become evident compared to the original text.

At the end of the third chapter, a list of creative artists who have committed suicide due to the torture of depression is presented, and among them, the name of Vincent van Gogh, the Dutch painter, also catches the eye. Apparently, this topic, as well as the author's analysis of a line on the last page referring to the famous painting "The Starry Night," has inspired the innovative (!) design of the cover of the Persian edition of the book :)

The revolving stars of the crazy and suicidal van Gogh are the prelude to the artist's fall into madness and oblivion.

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William Styron was a highly accomplished Pulitzer Prize winning author. His works, including Sophie's Choice (which happens to be my personal favorite), Lie Down in Darkness, and The Confessions of Nat Turner, are widely celebrated.

At the age of sixty, Styron was nearly overcome by severe melancholy. Over the course of several months, this condition worsened to such an extent that suicide seemed to be his only way out. Fortunately, he confided in his loyal wife and ended up spending seven weeks in a psychiatric hospital. There, he was able to find peace and the necessary help to endure the difficult times.

In Darkness Visible, Styron mourns the loss of numerous great artists due to the despair, self-hatred, and hopelessness associated with severe depression, as well as the lack of timely medications for treatment. This book serves as a powerful call to remove the stigma surrounding mental illness in general and psychiatric hospitalization in particular. It is also a heartfelt plea to those suffering from major depression to hold on to hope, to keep persevering, and to seek help. Because if one refuses to let depression defeat them, they will ultimately emerge victorious.

As a clinical psychologist, I can say without hesitation that Darkness Visible is the best autobiographical account of major depressive disorder that I have ever come across.

Depression is truly a hidden illness. Its symptoms lurk within your chest, mind, and soul. These symptoms are difficult to cure. How can you heal what you can't touch?

Who among us has not been afflicted by this disease? Who among us has not suddenly lost the zest for life and wished for death to come? Sometimes, you have a desire for liberation. You've lost your passion for everything, even those things you once cherished. You just want an end to all that pain simmering beneath your scalp and within the walls of your soul.

In his inspiring and positive autobiography, despite the darkness of the story, William Styron tells us about his battle with depression, from which he emerged victorious. But the wounds of the battle were painful and would leave an indelible mark within him.

Although the book is short, it has a powerful impact. With simple words and the simplest of events, William describes his sufferings and ours with this hidden disease that you may not even know you have.

This autobiography in front of you is truly worth reading. I even wished it were longer so that the author could expand on his experiences with suicide and depression, and tell us more about that time when he almost faced Albé Camus if not for the latter's untimely death in a car accident. Did Camus commit suicide?

He could have talked and talked and talked until he explained depression to us in detail. But he made one very important point: the form of depression is not fixed. It varies depending on the experiences and circumstances that each of us goes through. Our reactions are different from others, and the tests and situations we are put in are not the same as a template. They are what distinguish us and make each of us unique in our lives from others.

This next quote is surely one of the most important quotes in the book. How do you write about the feeling of a person suffering from depression? This is the way:

"As for the person suffering from depression, he does not have such an option, and thus finds himself in social and family situations where he has no strength. And in these situations, despite the pain that torments his mind, he must show a face that resembles what he shows in normal circumstances and among his friends and companions. And he must try to engage in light conversations, answer the questions addressed to him, joke and laugh, and even, God help him, smile. All this happens despite the fact that his attempt to utter a few simple words represents a terrible ordeal for him."

Oh God, how accurate the description is!

In conclusion, this book is highly recommended and should be prioritized in your readings. Maybe it will be the reason for you to say this sentence truthfully:

"And thus we emerged, and once again we saw the stars."

Despite all that this book contains of pages full of pain, despair, fear, and melancholy, and all the elements that are represented by one word that is scattered and terrifying, which is...

Writing...

However, it increased my knowledge and understanding of this cursed word

And what it entails of a moaning that is more like a fall into a void without a decision

So it was another harsh experience with this book

Except that it ended with a glimmer of hope

That writing is a disease that can be overcome, so it was the memoirs of madness

For William Styron, a better proof of that

For this man was able to overcome what was imagined that it could only be overcome by death...

\\n  \\n

aluminum discovery

This book takes the reader on a journey through a world of intense emotions. The author's use of vivid language brings to life the pain, despair, and fear that are so often associated with writing. But despite the darkness, there is a glimmer of hope that shines through. The example of William Styron shows that even the most difficult of challenges can be overcome. Overall, this is a powerful and thought-provoking work that will leave a lasting impression on the reader.

Given the numerous outstanding reviews this book had received, I was extremely eager to read it, especially since it pertained to a topic that I believe is highly neglected in good literature. Having endured this 'darkness' without any remission for the majority of my life, I had high expectations for this book - and it did not disappoint. This is evident in his vivid descriptions of feeling like a 'husk' and the fragile moments following a near-suicide attempt.

Styron is the first writer I have come across who, in my opinion, accurately portrays depression, eliminating its stigma and shame and vividly explaining the rawness of its haunting emptiness.

Rather than being a drawback, the brevity of this book was actually perfect. It meant that even those with difficulty concentrating could read and understand the text without feeling overwhelmed.

This book was truly great. The only drawback, in my view, was that I would have liked to read more. Additionally, I would have loved for there to be more expansion on the rawness of one's feelings, especially considering the significant length he devotes to instilling the possibility of recovery. Given my current state of mind, I found this aspect too difficult to fully comprehend. Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone, whether they have depression or simply wish to gain an understanding of the insidious nature of depression.

Notes - An Audio Book

In the opinion of the book, it is an exemplary work for understanding writing. The author, with a great deal of culture and knowledge about his illness, different treatment methods and their effects, without any exaggerated expectations or reduction in the value of those methods, attempts to remove the common stigma attached to mental illness and mental hospitals. The author also sheds light on celebrities who fell into the pit of writing and ended up committing suicide, and how the efforts of those around them to change the cause of death and insist on the impossibility of suicide contribute to increasing that stigma and shame.

This audio book provides a unique perspective on mental health and the power of writing. It challenges our preconceived notions and forces us to consider the complex issues surrounding mental illness. Through the author's personal experiences and insights, we gain a deeper understanding of the struggles faced by those with mental health problems and the importance of destigmatizing mental illness.

Overall, this audio book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in mental health, writing, or personal growth. It offers a thought-provoking and engaging exploration of these important topics.

**Title: The Mental Storm or Drowning in Water and Darkness**

Undoubtedly, the human mind at certain times is on the verge of collapse. The invasion of different thoughts, like the turmoil of the soul and spirit, exposes a person to various challenges.

Our thoughts during such periods act like sharp and victorious arrows, and we must seek ways to calm the mental arrows within us. In this search, we realize that every mental and spiritual crisis is a sea leading to a thousandfold of sadness, but ultimately, there are three ways out: 1. Requesting one's own death (a more gentle and digestible term than suicide. After all, does every human have the right to experience life or death several times? More than once? So let's give them the right to decide about their own life's miseries.); 2. Escape from the prison of a thousandfold of sadness; 3. Returning again to the embrace of this prison and having its days closed again by the jailer (mental and physical crises).

Sadness is not a disease but an internal reaction to prevailing conditions. According to Newton's third law: Every action has a reaction. I read somewhere that Schopenhauer believed that "a person does not become sad by himself, but his surroundings play a role in shaping this internal state. So it is better for each person, before labeling himself as sad, first look at his surroundings with a broader and unbiased view. Second, take a step in the forgotten path of the past and pay attention to the mental, spiritual, and physical crises that he has overcome before. And finally, we realize that sadness does not have a single cause but is more complex than these words!

Sadness sits in a corner since birth and waits for the appointed time to come. What is the appointed time for? The appointed time for the periodic turmoil of our soul and spirit. To experience an indescribable pain. Creating a medicine that can soothe this pain is beyond the ability of our pharmacists.

When a person's patience runs out of all these miseries of life, sadness comes towards us again and again and welcomes us with its open and warm embrace. And thus, a new chapter of our life is written by sadness, and its result is endless mental self-harm.

The only way to treat sadness, from the perspective of a person who has entered such a storm and returned safely (of course, with many spiritual scars left), is self-reflection and time. Although time does not help a person forget something, it helps them get used to it! Get used to accepting that the nature of life is painful and, of course, sweet!

What can prevent the taboos of sadness and also reduce the pain caused by sadness for the involved person is general awareness. Saying sentences like "Dad, it's nothing. I've overcome worse things than this, and I haven't become sad. Let go of these thoughts, and so on and so forth" is actually the worst kind of respectful obscenity possible for a person陷入 mental decline.

Giving general awareness causes the door in our mental and cultural prison to open towards light and hope and allows our thoughts to be seen and criticized without any prejudice.

An interesting conclusion that we reach is that we realize that every person has experienced some degree of sadness in a certain period of their life, and it would be great if such groups could be formed to exchange experiences and memories of sadness. Undoubtedly, many cases of self-requested death can be prevented!

I think it was almost a year ago that I read the review of "Sehil" about this book, and I was eager to buy it at the first possible opportunity. Although I am busy with exams and extremely precious moments of my university life, reading this book brought back the inner peace that I had lost, and I really wanted to read Sehil's review again now that I have read the book, but unfortunately, I couldn't find it :|. Endless thanks to William Styron for bringing me back to the boundless ocean of life :)

It is often said that writing a memoir requires a great deal of courage. In this book, the American writer William Styron sheds light on a dark period of his life. In these memoirs, he reveals a mental illness that is no less dangerous than many diseases, depression.

Styron began writing when he was in his sixties, with no obvious or specific reason for depression. William presents in these memoirs some cases of depression that overwhelmed some writers who left us an unforgettable literary heritage - such as Hemingway and Virginia Woolf - and they became victims of this disease after it led them to suicide.

Dr. Gold, Styron's treating physician, advised him not to enter the hospital or disclose his condition for fear of harming his literary reputation. But after his condition deteriorated and he attempted suicide, his wife helped him and took him to the hospital to receive treatment. Contrary to expectations, Styron found in the hospital a safe haven and a good environment for recovery and getting out of this sick state.

If you have relatives or friends suffering from depression, help them as Rose, Styron's wife, did. For without her presence beside him, he would have committed suicide.

What distinguishes these memoirs the most is the warm language that Styron uses, speaking to the reader as an old friend in a straightforward manner without pretense.

Quotes from the book:

"In the middle of the journey of our life
I found myself in a dark forest
Where the right path was lost..
The poet: Dante"

"In the absence of hope, we must struggle until we are saved, even if it is with the breaking of our hearts, and this is what we do."

"I can go so far as to say that the victims of depression might have been able to avoid many of its terrible consequences if they had been given the support that Rose gave me."

"Those who have not experienced the pain caused by acute depression cannot imagine it, and that depression can lead to the death of its victim in many cases, when the suffering exceeds the patient's ability to bear. And it will remain difficult to find a solution without the occurrence of many cases of suicide until a general awareness of the nature of this pain is formed."

"Most people who suffer from depression eventually recover from it, either through the healing that occurs over time or through medical intervention or by admitting them to hospitals in many cases, and this may be the only advantage of the disease; as for the group of the unfortunate who are forced to destroy themselves, they should not be blamed more than the victims of cancer in its final stage."

"Most people have been cut open by surgeons and have had the blows of life fall on them, but they still go through the path even if they limp, but without being touched by the real pain of depression."

"Most of those who fall into the swamp of depression in its ugliest forms, whatever the reason, live in a state of unrealistic despair, and are torn by exaggerated and deadly causes that are not related to reality. And this may require friends, lovers, family members, and admirers to shower them with love until they are convinced of the value of life, which often conflicts with their feeling of the absence of value, and this love has saved a huge number of the disease's victims from suicide."