Breakdowns of the brighter star in the sky.

I hope you're all well and if you're not - and some of you may not be, one of the things I've learnt is that this sort of headspace is far more widespread than is openly acknowledged, so many of us are hanging on, almost overwhelmed with desperation and feeling like it's our fault, that what's wrong with us is just self-pity or negative thinking or innate defectiveness when in fact it's a terrible illness.

So if you're in a very dark place, my TOTAL and empathetic commiserations to you. Truly. I beg of you to just hang on. Watch Come Dine With Me, eat cake, play with babies, go to the doctor, talk to your friends, eat more cake, ask VERY LITTLE OF YOURSELF. Just get through the next hour. There were times when it was reduced to that for me. I'd think, "I'll watch an episode of Come Dine With Me and when I'm on the far side of it, I'll be half-an-hour further along."

Marian Keyes, Irish novelist who recently struggled with a major depressive disorder.

You can read the whole January newsletter here.