28 Days

I have heard/seen/recalled this movie for years but never bothered to watch it. I figured-alcoholics? rehab? not the kind of movie I want to watch....

Then the fiance picked it for our movie tonight and I was pleasantly surprised!

Not only was the movie well formed, well acted, moving and funny-it was surprisingly relevant to me as a depressed person. In a lot of ways an addiction problem is like depression (or vice versa).

Both issues can be misunderstood as simply issues of willpower and both diseases alter your perceived personality and dramatically affect your social/family life and functional capacity. Both are socially rejected and stigmatized and both make their victims feel disabled and unable to function in everyday life. Both drench people in shame.

The characters' addictions scared them in ways that my depression scares me-I recognize my disease as a problem to confront but am afraid that it will get the best of me and just like addicts I go through periods of doubt and fear that are overwhelming and consuming.

I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed 28 Days and how much I related to the film, even though I'm not an addict. Check it out if you haven't already-it even features one of my favorite supporting actresses-Elizabeth Perkins!