Conversations on depression have been flowing around the tech community for the last few months. It’s important, and many people have written about their experiences. There is some wonderful, helpful, and deeply personal insights out there. 
This morning I found one that really hit me. Mike Monteiro is a Designer and runs Mule Design Studio in San Francisco. He’s one of those insightful voices that I always enjoy reading or hearing, whether on his blog or in conference talks. His books Design is a Job and You’re My Favorite Client are must-reads for anyone involved in creating a product. We’ve never met, but by all accounts he’s a great guy. 
He has also struggled with depression. 
His essay is by his own admission not a comprehensive view of depression. But he says one of the most important things that people need to know: 

I am still me. Better yet, I think I am finally me. I’m not living with some shit demon in my head all the time.
…
You don’t have to be your depression. Go be you.
From <https://medium.com/@monteiro/this-is-about-the-time-i-chose-not-to-die-3c2cc97cf769&gt;

 
You can’t read much about depression and mental health without hearing the message that people have a hard time, for lots of reasons, taking the step to get help. Mike’s personal story steps beyond the cliché to touch that deep fear of loss — that fear that your depression somehow makes you who you are.