I am a survivor of depression. I am a
survivor of anxiety and manic episodes.
Today the world is reeling in the news of the death of a beloved entertainer, Robin Williams. It seems inconceivable to many that someone who gave the masses so much joy, had so much pain that he could not live another day.
Today the world is reeling in the news of the death of a beloved entertainer, Robin Williams. It seems inconceivable to many that someone who gave the masses so much joy, had so much pain that he could not live another day.
I get it. I have been there.
Experiencing extreme highs and overwhelming lows is something that I
have been struggling with since early adolescence. For those who
haven't fought depression, please try to keep your eyes and ears and
hearts open for those loved ones who do.
Robin Williams was a parent and a
husband. He had a family who loved him. I am willing to bet that at
many times he struggled to give them the emotional support that they
needed. That is something that I struggle with constantly. It is one
of my greatest sources of stress. I have to fight hard to give enough of
myself to my child, my husband, the ones I love. What is happening
silently inside of me, is something that sometimes takes so much of
me, that even getting out of bed can be hard. Being a caretaker for
others can be the hardest task in the world if you are healthy. For
those struggling with mental illness, just being alive, just making
it though the day might be the only thing we accomplish that day –
leaving our families and loved ones neglected.
I am writing this today as a message to
those who love someone with mental illness. If you can just give
love, express your devotion to that person, that one small act may
save a life. Any given day can turn into the day when they are no
longer able to cope, so seize the days you have. Make every moment
count, and help those you love to find a reason and a strength to
make it to tomorrow. A few simple words or small action can change so much for that one day that matters. Love can't cure depression, but it can make each day a little more livable. Be the one who is there when the pain gets to be too much.
What is depression like? It is having the weight of a thousand pounds pressing down on you, and you have no way out. It is drowning and holding your hand above the water, hoping for something to pull you to the surface. It is being someone that you don't know. It is causing pain and watching it happen without being able to do anything about it. It is screaming at the top of your lungs in a crowded room and not one person turns to look at you. It can be constant, it can be fleeting and it is the most terrifying feeling that will ever happen. Millions of people suffer every day from this disease, many of them in silence. Many of these sufferers find no other way out of the pain than to take their own lives.
What is depression like? It is having the weight of a thousand pounds pressing down on you, and you have no way out. It is drowning and holding your hand above the water, hoping for something to pull you to the surface. It is being someone that you don't know. It is causing pain and watching it happen without being able to do anything about it. It is screaming at the top of your lungs in a crowded room and not one person turns to look at you. It can be constant, it can be fleeting and it is the most terrifying feeling that will ever happen. Millions of people suffer every day from this disease, many of them in silence. Many of these sufferers find no other way out of the pain than to take their own lives.
I had someone once tell me that suicide
is the most selfish thing that someone can do. That may be true in
some regards, but people who have spoken that phrase have likely never dealt with depression.
Those of us who know what it is like to be unable to leave the house, to be
scared of potentially hurting those you love with moods and actions you can not
control, know that leaving this life behind is not an act of selfishness, but
rather an act of removing the burden of our existence from those who
can not help us.
The thought process behind a suicide is made with an illness in the driver's seat, it does not make sense to those who aren't suffering. It is an act of desperation, without full decision making capabilities. An act that occurs in such pain and torment, that to that individual at that moment on that day... they can not see the light at the end of the long, dark tunnel that is depression. It is not a fully conscious choice, it is not logical, therefore it cannot be selfish.
Please know that if you are suffering, talking about what is happening... even if you don't understand it yourself, can save your own life and avoid the pain of loss for those you love. Ask for help.
The thought process behind a suicide is made with an illness in the driver's seat, it does not make sense to those who aren't suffering. It is an act of desperation, without full decision making capabilities. An act that occurs in such pain and torment, that to that individual at that moment on that day... they can not see the light at the end of the long, dark tunnel that is depression. It is not a fully conscious choice, it is not logical, therefore it cannot be selfish.
Please know that if you are suffering, talking about what is happening... even if you don't understand it yourself, can save your own life and avoid the pain of loss for those you love. Ask for help.
Here are some resources for families:
- http://www.familyaware.org/top-depression/help-someone-who-has-depression.html
- http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression/art-20045943
- http://www.adaa.org/
- https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml
- http://www.theguardian.com/science/brain-flapping/2014/aug/12/robin-williams-suicide-and-depression-are-not-selfish
& for depression suffers:
No comments:
Post a Comment