He went to see the doctor yesterday (something we try to put off if we can, since neither of us has insurance right now). His doctor put him on a different (less expensive!) medication to treat both the anxiety and depression. As for physical exercise, when he's working his current job is very physically demanding. However, he hasn't had much landscaping to do in the last three weeks. I think not having work/income also contributed to the depressive episode. He was able to resolve some of that interpersonal stuff on the day of his lunch date, and also heard that he may be going back to teaching in the spring or summer, so that was good news. But he still felt low when he got home, so that's when he decided to go to the dr. What's so scary is when the person starts having thoughts about death, as in, "It would be easier to die than to go on living." Not that he has ever had an impulse to do anything about it; but still, having the thoughts is disturbing enough.

Rose, your experience with PPD sounds familiar to me. After my second child was born (difficult pregnancy), I had thoughts of "I should be happy; why can't I be?" I had two healthy children and a newly built house, etc. etc. I felt really guilty for feeling so awful, upset, angry, sad all the time! I didn't realize it was most likely PPD.