Where The fυck Has Norman Been?

I really wish I knew to be honest, stuck in the black hell of depression, alive but not well.

Lets just say the last eighteen or so months have not been good. I’ve been battling one of the worst depressive episodes I’ve ever experienced, actually an episode within an episode, since the one that began in 2016 has never actually resolved. Along with my coexisting anxiety disorder, it has been and continues to be absolutely hellish and brutal. Mental illness is real, it can be scary, think suicidal ideation, and can be debilitating as well.

All of this compounded further by an unfolding personal tragedy straight out of a made for TV movie.

My psychiatrists, yeah plural, have been encouraging me to try reengaging, having abandoned all social media (for better or worse) as well as this forum and nearly all other social interaction. Months at a time have passed when it was too much effort to even turn on the computer. I presently exist in a very small, very dark bubble exacerbated further by this pandemic we have all been dealing with. I quite literally didn’t open my safe or wear a watch for over a year until I discovered the psychiatrist I started seeing in March likes watches too. He was wearing an Omega Dynamic III when we met the first time, not something you see every day. So I’ve started pulling things out of the safe to do a little show and tell when I see him now. Progress...

Hopefully you will see me sharing here again soon too. And my apologies to those who PM’d and got no response from me during this time.

For those of you that don't know my back story you can read is here:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/because-we-need-to-talk-about-it.50844/

Welcome back, Norman. We have missed you

Sorry to hear you’ve been through dark times.
Likewise, welcome back to the fold.

Depression is a bitch. All the best and hope times get better.

Your sage wisdom and expertise have been missed, Norman. Wishing you the very best.

Nice to have you back, Norman, and it's good to hear that you are making progress.

+1

Really good to see you back mate

I am glad you are back, and very glad that we can talk about this stuff. Thank you for being so brave.

I've been too embarrassed of my own problems to admit to you what has been going on. Check your pm's, it's been 10 years since you sold me that sweet black guilloche and over 4 years since you kindly loaned me that 30.10 for service parts.

I miss you, I miss your expertise and I miss your appreciation of the artistry of horology.

A big welcome, my friend (I hope!).

Sorry norm I have a close family member with treatment resistant depression she tried pretty much everything. it’s really sad to see. I am hoping ketamine has a positive effect. But anyway good on you for reaching out I still have the watch I bought from you a while back it remains my only gmt. I’m sure you have heard it all so I will just say don’t give in, miracles do happen, I met William Styron the author who wrote “darkness visible” about his dealings with depression. He was pretty convinced it was over for him but it turned out alright. At least at the time I heard him speak and signed my book.

Good to have you back! 👍