A phenomenon that a number of people have noted while in deep depression is the sense of being accompanied by a second self$$$ a wraithlike observer who$$$ not sharing the dementia of his double$$$ is able to watch with dispassionate curiosity as his comp

A phenomenon that a number of people have noted while in deep depression is the sense of being accompanied by a second self$$$ a wraithlike observer who$$$ not sharing the dementia of his double$$$ is able to watch with dispassionate curiosity as his companion struggles against the oncoming disaster$$$ or decides to embrace it. There is a theatrical quality about all this$$$ and during the next several days$$$ as I went about stolidly preparing for extinction$$$ I couldn't shake off a sense of melodrama$$$ a melodrama in which I$$$ the victim-to-be of self-murder$$$ was both the solitary actor and lone member of the audience.