MAJOR DEPRESSION DISORDER

How it began true life story 

I had my first episode of major depressive disorder in 2005 at the age of forty-one. I had been under a tremendous amount of stress, having just gone through a divorce. I was also going to grad school while simultaneously working full time and raising two young daughters. I wasn’t sleeping well and had been feeling increasingly anxious and sad.

Eventually, I couldn’t get out of bed in the morning, and it took a tremendous amount of energy just to take a shower. My distorted mind convinced me that my family would be better off if I were dead, and I came up with detailed plans for how I would end my life. Over the course of six months, I was hospitalized five times.

In February 2021 I checked into a psychiatric ward. The emergency department doctor admitted me after I answered yes to the following questions: Do you have little interest or pleasure in doing things? Do you feel bad about yourself or that you are a failure or have let yourself or your family down? Do you have trouble concentrating on things such as reading the newspaper or watching television? Do you have thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself? Yes, yes, yes, and yes.

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It's no news that DEPRESSION IS VERY REAL, so instead of just talking about depression, I want to focus on the different ways we can overcome the menace called DEPRESSION.

I. Reach Out & Stay Connected: When you’re depressed, there is high  tendency for you to withdraw and isolate so that connecting to even close family members and friends seem tough.

Look for support from people who make you feel safe and cared for. The person you talk to doesn’t have to be able to fix you; they just need to be a good listener, someone who’ll listen attentively and compassionately without being distracted or judging you.

II. Do Things That Makes You Feel Good : This includes following a healthy lifestyle, learning how to better manage stress, setting limits on what you’re able to do, and scheduling fun activities into your day.