DEPRESSION

Depression is an illness and its not the same as feeling a bit down from time to time, which is normal and is a part of life and they are transient and go away. In suffering from depression these feelings don't go away, sometimes people don't realise they are depressed or they may feel if they admit to it they will see it as a sign of weakness as like most mental illnesses there can be a stigma attached. There is nothing to be ashamed off if you are depressed and it saddens me when ignorant people say its all in the mind or say snap out of it, with depression you can't.

The vast majority of severe emotional illnesses are in fact breakdowns in the internal chemistry of our bodies, brought about by stress.  The broken chemistry is the source of great suffering for the purpose involved, who often does not realise why they are having such trouble coping and why they are suffering so much.

Some of the symptoms are:

• Feeling hopeless and there's no point in doing anything
• Crying a lot and feeling sad most of the time
• Disliking yourself/self hate
• Lacking energy, lethargy
• Feeling guilty for feeling depressed
• Eating more binging or hardly eating at all
• Being irritable, short tempered 
• Feeling lonely
• Sleeping problems often waking in the early hours
• Poor libido
• Poor concentration
• Self harming
• Thoughts of suicide

If you have had a few of these symptoms and especially the latter two please speak to someone how you are feeling, ideally your doctor or health professional, don't suffer in silence. Depression is not something to be ashamed of, it is treatable and you can get better and it should be viewed like any other illness. Don't listen to anyone who says pull yourself together or snap out of it, you can't help it and anyone who says that to a depressed person clearly has never experienced depression and is extremely ignorant.

So if you are feeling depressed and you've been feeling this way for a couple of weeks or more take that first step to getting well please go and speak to your doctor

There is an alternative to suicide

Go to sleep, so that the pain can subside.   Suicidal ideas go up and down in intensity and in suffering.   People who have felt as bad as you are eventually very glad they are still alive, and wish they could convince you of this.   There are multiple telephone services, support services, counsellors, psychologists, GPs, psychiatrists and medications that can stop the distress you currently feel.   And life changes continuously, so that it is inevitable that you will feel much better in a short period of time.   Human beings do recover from earthquakes and wars, so you are genetically programmed to recover from pain.   Please stay alive, and give both nature and those who care about you a chance to fix your pain.  

AND THERE IS HOPE

And there is hope

When all is lost and Pandora's box is open wide

Strength and hope were left inside

Together to help our pain and sorrow

Together getting us through tomorrow

For what it's worth no pain is too great nor sadness too high

When tears torment and bleed your eye

Hope and strength will never leave us on our own

No matter how it hurts so bad and so low down

They wrap us up in a cape of healing

Soothe us gently no matter what we are feeling

We only have to ask, a whisper will do

Shshshsh cry no more, they are helping you

MPB ©  

Maggie Brown (Author)

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