Living With Depression

Depression

According to Merriam-Webster¹ depression is “(1): a state of feeling sad : dejection (2): a psycho neurotic or psychotic disorder marked especially by sadness, inactivity, difficulty in thinking and concentration, a significant increase or decrease in appetite and time spent sleeping, feelings of dejection and hopelessness, and sometimes suicidal tendencies.”  This is just one of the many definitions of the word.  Not everyone is familiar with this version of depression, but for hundreds of thousands of people it is the definition that they are too familiar with.

Depression affects approximately 19 million Americans, or 9.5% of the population² in any given one-year period.  Unfortunately only about one third of those who suffer from depression will actually receive treatment.³

Are you suffering from depression? If so, where do you fall in the above percentages?  Are you one of those being treated or are you a part of nearly two-thirds who need help, but are not receiving it?

“Depression is a disease that, if left untreated, has the ability to make ones life dysfunctional. Depression is treatable; however there is no known cure for depression and medication, alone, will not keep ones depression stabilized if the person is unable to keep their stress level under control.

Depression creates feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, and shatters ones self-esteem.
It can drive individuals to suicide ideation’s, gestures, and/or attempts. Described in many ways, a common statement example is the “feeling as if one is trapped at the bottom of a well in total darkness with no way to climb out.”

It is no ones fault that they develop depression and it can occur at any time regardless of age, race, gender, education level, profession, or religious beliefs.

Ones depression will carry over to the people around them interfering with their ability to maintain healthy relationships at home and in areas outside of the home.”

Robert Anderson, LCSW – Nashville, TN

Living With Depression is a series of blog entries that I write along with occasional guest posts from friends and fellow artists who, like myself, are living our lives in constant battle with depression.  We’re doing it to put a face to the disease letting it be known that depression can attack anybody.  We’re doing it to increase awareness and understanding of how depression affects the daily lives of its victims.  We’re doing it so that others can see themselves in us and realize that they are not alone in their struggle.  We’re doing it to help ourselves cope while finding the strength to continue to fight and win our wars against an enemy that would like nothing better than for us to first destroy and then end our lives without fulfilling the beautiful promise of life that is in everyone.

So you’re invited to drop in and allow us to share our stories with you.  It’s not about cryin’ and whinin’ about the difficulties of life.  Everybody has those moments.  We’re just giving voice to what’s inside of us and relating how we’re taking the fight to the enemy.

Our “virtual” Depression – Mental Illness support group on Model Mayhem.com

We want to change the perception of mental illness by sharing our stories.

1. www.merriam-webster.com
2. statistics based on pre-2004 census
3. www.allaboutdepression.com