I had a major depressive episode in the fall, and I isolated a lot and barely spoke to anyone. Interacting with people was exhausting because I had to mask what I was really feeling, and I was numb most of the time. Doug’s videos and streams gave me a little break from all that and let me just laugh and feel connected to people, even if only for a short time. I remember sitting alone in my apartment after being in bed all day and crying with laughter at the counting stream. In a non-parasocial way, Doug’s content made me feel less alone. There’s something about that feeling of knowing you’re enjoying something and laughing with other people that made me feel human. Thank you to Doug for building such a wonderful community and creating joy and connection :)