The following comment was left on last Friday's "BEST & WORST Of The Week" post by someone who is a cherished and long-time member of the MM community.
I thought I might share it in a Group Therapy post to try and elicit some specific support and advice from those who have experience with depression in their lives or the lives of someone close to them….
'Jaz' writes…..
I've realised that I should probably be on some sort of medication for my depression. My entire life, I have tried to battle it on my own, convinced it was just "in my head" or that I "just need to think more positive". I'm 22 yrs old and still struggling. I don't wanna go another year wishing death would swallow me up. Though I did try a medication for a period of time, but it made me even worse. So I'm slightly scared of going down that path again. I hate feeling like nothing will ever help.
Oh Jaz, you poor thing. So very hard. I am a huge believer in therapy. Huge. I often wonder how anyone can get through tough times in their lives without it. To me, trying to wrestle through emotional upheaval or difficult times is like going to your toolbox and attempting to do your own root canal with a Bamix, a drill and some fishing wire.
I have certainly had times in my life when the black dog has come to visit and it is hideous and exhausting and debilitating and unspeakably lonely. Therapy helped. Talking to friends helped. Saying I wasn't coping helped (have written more about this in my book – four weeks and counting).
While writing this post, I had a look around the wonderful Beyond Blue website and found this great page with a symptom checklist (for yourself or someone close to you) as well as a whole bunch of other helpful information. Go here and check it out….
And if you have an experience or some advice or just words of support for lovely Jaz, please leave a comment (you can ALWAYS be anonymous in comments – just make up a name and email address, easy).
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Top Comments
wollywally, Cerry, and Amanda; I find it hard to put appreciation into words without sounding idiotic, but thank you all so much. Your words of support have helped me and mean more to me than you know =) I have taken your advice on board, and I think I'll talk to a teacher...three teachers approached me last term, concerned about changes in my behaviour. For me, I think it'd be easier for me to broach it first with one of them than with my mother.
Again, thank you.
Jaz and Mum of five, Gig meant well, if he did not care about it would have say nothing,love ooxx