My Foreign Self is part of the canon of books that encourage depressed individuals and enlighten those fortunate enough to have escaped this burden. Since childhood, New York writer Daphne Merkin has suffered from depression. Although her parents, Orthodox German Jews, were quite wealthy, the atmosphere in their home was harsh, and the children lacked clothing, food, and affection. For the first time, Merkin, who could barely endure her mother's heartlessness, was clinically admitted as a schoolchild and has since undergone countless therapies, now as a mother herself. For over five decades, she has been grappling with the still-stigmatized illness and the question of what it means to lead a life with depression that is, despite everything, worth living. In My Foreign Self, Merkin draws on all her experience—on the many partial victories.