Two years ago I was diagnosed with depression, which I know is a common disorder that many people face. I started taking medication for it right away and I could tell that the pills were helping. Then everything went to hell: I broke up with my long time girlfriend (probably because I was depressed), I lost some good friends and the friends I had left weren't there for me when I needed them the most. Needless to say this hit me harder than it would have were I not depressed.

I started failing classes and playing WoW (so you know how that goes). Luckily I didn't get really addicted to it and quit after about two weeks straight of playing and not going to class/work.

Then as things were steadily going downhill, I discovered a new gaming blog called Destructoid. I read it along with all of the other gaming blogs out there. I eventually made it my primary site, as the blogs were always interesting/hilarious.

I suspected that when the summer came that year, I'd get better. I didn't. Then September rolled around and school began anew. After the summer I was left with even fewer friends and feeling more out of place wherever I went. I remember always having the feeling that I was delving deeper and deeper into a cave. Pretty emo of me.

At that point I joined the forums. I'd never joined any other forums except to get some information quickly and then leave. I don't remember what made me join the forums on Destructoid. It probably had something to do with realizing that there was a community behind this great blog. I got somewhat involved in the forums, posting multiple times a day and checking whenever I could. The more I stayed there the more I felt like I had a place to fit in. Whenever I logged on I felt like I was at home, which is more than I can say for anything in "real life."

Because I found that there were people out there who were the same as I was (at least as far as my love for gaming goes) I began to feel better about life. I started to keep myself busy with school and initiated some new friendships. After that I started recovering. I was posting less in the forums because I was keeping myself busy, but I never left.

A cool ending to this story would be to say that "Destructoid saved my life" but I don't think I can. I never thought about suicide or anything. Although, looking back, I can't really believe that I didn't. So maybe it did save me. I don't know.

What I can say is that Destructoid and it's community, even though nobody knew what I was going through, were the net that kept me from falling to that point. There were other factors too of course, but words can't express the appreciation I have for this community.

So I figured what better time to bring this up than on Niero and Destructoid's birthday. Thanks to Niero for making such a great place and also thanks to those who have been here from the beginning: you didn't know it but you helped me beyond measure.

Thanks for reading my overlong sob story if you did.

Here's to Niero, Destructoid and two more years and beyond of great community.