Depression: A minor head cold, sometimes the flu

Depression.  Ahhh, what a neurological gift, a total cluster, fubar and snafu.
Fatigue makes things worse.
Worry about things real or possible future clusters.

But what is it like to be in a depressive episode?
For me it is like having the snuffles in your brain.
It varies in degree, some times you barely notice other than to give a little sniff, other times you might feel wretched but know that if you grit your emotional teeth you can go to work, get your stuff done, get home, get the kids fed bathed and in bed, you can go to that function, you can wear the frock heels and lippy and when you get home you will be too tired to sleep like a fractious baby but you didn't let anyone down today.
Other times it is like the mental serious cold, you hunker down for a day or two to protect others from catching it or turn your face or warn people nicely you have the snuffles so they can protect themselves too.
Different times it feels like mental flu, so bad you don't know how you can be up and about, and when people see you they kindly enquire after your wellbeing or tell you that you look like death.

So that is a 2 minute insight in to mental snuffles.