Do you know that there are a lot of "d" works related to depression? Debilitating, despondency, despair, darkness, dejected. I was really tempted to do the longest, most obnoxious alliteration ever, but as I mentioned on FB awhile back, overdone alliteration cheapens the message. And I want my message today to be one of hope. And hope is one of the most valuable things we can have. The hope that perhaps there would be something better in my future helped me survive a lot of really dark times.
Until you have lived with it, you can never really understand depression.
It's one thing to be feeling lazy and not want to take a shower. It's something else entirely when you don't feel like you have the energy to shower or when you've gotten to the point where you really don't care if you shower.
It's one thing to feel blah and sorry for yourself and not want to do anything. It's something else entirely when you feel totally numb and can't make yourself do anything.
It's one thing to think that you could do better. It's another when you think that you will never be able to do enough or be good enough.
But the good news it that I know it doesn't have to last forever. Don't misunderstand me. It's not as if I never get depressed anymore. I just know how to deal with it now and how to not let it consume my life. I will be on medication for the rest of my life to deal with this. I also work to adjust my diet, exercise, meditation, and outside commitments to help me get through the minor bouts of depression that still pop up occasionally.
The paths that lead us out of depression are as unique as each individual that suffers from depression. I found my path, but there are a lot of really wonderful people in the world still looking for theirs. But it's there. I know it is. Have hope and know that you are not alone.
My life today is so different from where it was several years ago. Every once in a while, I'll have a bad day and then I'll remember when everyday used to be like that. I am happy. I am really happy. And all things considered, that's pretty amazing.
Happy Thanksgiving, Jeannine. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for spreading the word, Jeannine. It's so nice to know there are other people in the world who understand, and it's part of what made you such a valuable influence in my daughter's life. So glad you found your path. Happy Thanksgiving!
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