Depression is not a death sentence

Depression is common. Depression is a physical disorder. Depression involves an imbalance of brain chemicals. Depression does not define who we are unless we let it. Depression does not affect our worth unless we let it.

Everything I know about depression I learned from my clients and from my friend Diana Alishouse. From Diana I learned to see what depression looks like. She wrote the book, Depression Visible: The Ragged Edge. www.depressionvisible.com. It is a book illustrating depression using quilts she designed and created. From my clients I learned how fearful, frustrating, hurtful and unfair depression can be. From all of them I learned that hope is possible, treatment is available, and being depressed is not a death sentence.

Depression is complicated. We can find it in families, or there can be no family link. It can be triggered by an event or have no obvious upset. It can have many symptoms or none that are visible; and it can wear many masks: sadness, outrage, silence, risk taking, changes in behavior, acting out, or it can put on the happy face. Depression looks different in children and teens than it does in adults, and the success of varied treatments is also unique to each person. Some people might also need medication to help balance the chemicals in their brain. A website that is easy to access and has reliable information is www.webmd.com.

If you are feeling down and not yourself, reach out for help. Smart, courageous people pick up the phone and make an appointment with a doctor or a counselor. If you and your doctor/counselor determine that you have a true diagnosis of depression, accept it. Don’t deny or fight it. Being depressed does not mean you are bad or weird or nuts or unlovable. It only means your body is not providing your brain with the needed chemical balance.

My friend Diana would say you need pills and skills. You also need patience to allow your medication and new found skills to start working. You might need to try several different medications to find the one that works, but you need to take your medication every day! Also, move your body; walk, exercise, or join a yoga class. Find some new activities. Hang out with positive people and don’t drink alcohol. A wise young client once told me that he never drinks when he is feeling sad because it just makes him sadder.

Call 911 if you have thoughts of killing yourself or if someone else threatens to kill themselves. Help is available 24/7.

Until the next time: Live while you live!