I usually dont post on news related items, but really want to put in my word regarding the death of Robin Williams. Not Williams himself, but depression. The news of Williams death was a big shock to everyone. Of all the people in the world, he was the last one that we would think would suffer from depression. It really shows you that it can hit anyone, no matter how happy they seems on the outside. I suffered severe depression for a large part of my life, starting in my early teens through my mid-thirties, when I finally got professional help. It is a horrible disease that can take over your life, and you have no control over it. Although I have the occasional down, I feel that I have a normal life today, and I really want to share with others my views on the issue. For those who know people who are depressed: *First of all, do not think that someone wants to “be depressed”. NO ONE wants to be depressed. There is not an on/off switch for depression. Believe me, if people had a switch for their depression, it would be on the “off” position all the time. Many people have told me that they cannot see why I was depressed, I had some many things going for me in my life (cool job, being able to play a musical instrument, etc), but the depression was overwhelming. *Be there for them. It is nice to know that there is someone in your life that you know cares about you. Hugs or pats on the back go a long way. Let them know that you are there if they need to talk. *Get them help. This is the biggest thing that you can do for them. I really did not want help, but co-workers took me basically kicking and screaming to a see a therapist, and that was the best thing they could do to get me back to a normal life. For those with depression: *Get help. It might seem like nothing can be done, but individual therapy, group therapy, and medication do wonders. At the very least, get into a support group. It really helps to know that there are others who are also suffering. *If you know what is making you depressed, change your environment. Whether it is moving, changing jobs, or dropping a relationship/friendship that has turned toxic, change it. It might seem extremely difficult to do, but changing the environment can make a huge difference. *Have people in your life who are a positive influence, or have positive traits that you seek to see in yourself. I have three levels in my friendship circle: acquaintances, friends, and close friends. For years, I considered the “close friends” group to be those people who I did the most activities with, but have changed the definition in the last year or so. I now consider a “close friend” to be one who has a positive influence in my life, or has traits that I want to see in myself. People go in and out of these levels, and the close friends group usually has about 4 to 6 individuals in it at any one time. Those are the people I value the most in my life. Some of them may not be friends in the conventional sense. I may not “hang out” with them much, and have only met them 2 or 3 times, but they are people who I strive to be. I really hope that this may have been some use to someone. If you are suffering depression, please seek help. You are not alone.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 17:02:26 +0000
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