Don’t take the title of this post as a joke about depression; I know there are varying levels of depression with some so severe that it can result in suicide. I also know when I went through a mild depression early in my sobriety, all I wanted was for the way I was feeling to end.
I actually began to understand why some people may want to commit suicide. I wasn’t suicidal myself, but I desperately wanted the deep sadness and dread that I felt to end. I would have taken medication if necessary, but I was fortunate to talk to a therapist and they helped me believe I could be OK on my own.
I do know, however, that some people need help through therapy and medication, and I wish more people would seek support.
Through my bout with depression, I had the fortune of not only talking with a therapist but also receiving support in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. It helped to hear how others with more severe problems than me dealt with depression and were still able to get through it. They also said how they learned to recognize warning signs of depression and became better at combating the sometimes debilitating emotions that come with it. Some even said they were eventually able to reduce any medications they were on, or stop using them all together.
There are many factors involved in depression, and I want to make it clear that some people need medication to help them because of their brain chemistry. However, studies show that along with medication, when people get professional help and talk to others who have problems with depression, they stand a better chance of recovering from it. Click on National Institute of Mental Health for information on depression.
As I said, I was fortunate because of the many people who helped me, but I also prayed for help. Maybe just the act of praying and accepting help from others did the trick, but this period in my life would actually reinforce my growing hope that something created life and the universe for a reason. It certainly taught me to never be afraid to get help from any source possible when I need it.
This is some valuable information, I just finished up my paper for school and think I may need to bookmark or save this for the second class lol. You may have just made me a regular 🙂
Well I’m glad I could help. 🙂 I hope you do come back and read some of my other posts. Take care.
Perhaps someone should start a “depressed anonymous”? I haven’t heard of support groups for depression, but there may be some out there. Do you know if such a thing exists already (aside from the online community). I suppose the closest thing to it would be one-on-one counseling? Just wondering! Thanks for the post.
Hey Lizzie. I’m not an expert on depression, but I have experienced it in the past. There certainly are support groups for people with depression, besides one on one counseling, but I know shame can prevent people from getting the help they need. I’ll send you some information on it and thanks for the comment.