She is well known for her writings in The New Yorker, Commentary, The New Republic and other publications. Her family is known for its wealthy businessmen and numerous philanthropies, including the Merkin Concert Hall in New York.

Ms Merkin creates a vivid portrayal of the subjective state of a persistent treatment resistant depression. She writes about her continuous temptation to commit suicide, which she resists because she dearly loves her 17 year old daughter, for whom she fears irreparable psychological harm. She is aware of her mixed attitudes toward suicide: she knows that by talking about it, she is getting people to try to save her.

She discusses her recent experience of hospitalization, about which she has little positive to say. Nevertheless, some time after discharge, the depression lightens, and she becomes productive again. She has little to say about why this happens. We can take this as a reminder that we still need to understand more about depression.

Related Links:

- "A Journey Through Darkness," Daphne Merkin, New York Times magazine, May 10, 2009.