There is always hope.
Depression
blinds us
to that fact.
If we can
somehow
hold on to
our hope,
just maybe
we can
find a way
to get through.
Updated 7/15/00
Welcome to a
Depression
Resources
Page.
For Q & A,
What is the value
of a human life?
Ask someone who has lost a loved one to
suicide
Depression is a debilitating and widely misunderstood
medical illness. It has destroyed the lives of far too many decent, intelligent and formerly productive people,
including myself. I considered myself a failure, lacking ambition and self-discipline. When I
was finally properly diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and Adjustment Mood Disorder after 32
years of needless suffering, I was compelled to learn more about these
illnesses.
These pages are the result of my search for understanding.
I hope to have many wonderful responses to my pages, and I thank everyone who will take the time to
let me know what you think. Please let me know if there is other material available, so that I can
add links.
You can give me a sense of accomplishment if I can help one
person develop a greater understanding of these medical illnesses. Compassionate and
professional help is available, regardless of your families income or financial resources.
If you have any comments or suggestions, please
contact
me.
If you want to know a little bit more about my depression,
you may want to read A Journal on Depression & Codependence, an account of my depression and how the antidepressants
Paxil, and now Remeron, and cognitive therapy have helped
me.
You may also want to read about how I'm
doing now.
A list of depression symptoms from the SA\VE home page
(A page on suicide awareness).
RESOURCES
A list put together by the newsgroup alt.support.depression.
Tests to take to give you an idea of your general level of depression / mania
Who
to call to get help? Options listed for the depressed and family / friends here.
for those suffering with depression
Includes information on therapy, concentrating on information regarding medications
Links to info on depression in children and adolescents.
Suicide is an all too common result of depression
a collection of writings by people suffering from depression
Other places to find information on depression
Other places to find general mental health information.
Intercessory prayers and testimonies
Do you ever feel like life is one big Ferris
Wheel?
Best Things To Say To Someone Who Is
Depressed
It is most tempting, when you find out someone is depressed,
to attempt to immediately fix the problem.
However, until the depressed person has given you permission to be their therapist (as a
friend or professional), the following responses are more
likely to help.
1. "I love you!"
2. "I Care"
3. "You're not alone in this"
4. "I'm not going to leave/abandon
you"
5. "Do you want a hug?"
6. "I love you (if you mean it)."
7. "It will pass, we can ride it out
together."
8. "When all this is over, I'll still be here (if you
mean it) and so will you."
9. "Don't say anything, just hold my hand and I'll
listen while you cry."
10. "All I want to do now is to give you a hug and a
shoulder to cry on.."
11. "Hey, you're not crazy!"
12. "May the strength of the past reflect in your
future."
13. "God does not play dice with the universe." - A.
Einstein
14. "A miracle is simply a do-it-yourself project." - S.
Leek
15. "We are not primarily on earth to see through one
another, but to see one another through" - (from someone's
sig)
16. "If the human brain were simple enough to understand,
we'd be too simple to understand it." - a codeveloper of
Prozac, quoted from "Listening to Prozac"
17. "You have so many extraordinary gifts--how can you
expect to live an ordinary life?" - from the movie "Little Women" (Marmee
to Jo)
18. "I understand your pain and I
empathize"
19. "I'm sorry you're in so much pain. I am not going to
leave you. I am going to take care of myself so you don't need to
worry that your pain might hurt me."
20. "I listen to you talk about it, and I can't imagine what
it's like for you. I just can't imagine how hard it must
be."
21. "I can't really fully understand what you are feeling,
but I can offer my compassion."
22. "You are important to me."
23. "If you need a friend..... (and mean
it)."
Ways to Help a Depressed Person
- Listen. Keep in mind that the depressed person isn't communicating
well right now, and is probably speaking slower and less
clearly. Be patient and don't interrupt.
-Take care of little tasks like feeding the cat or doing the
laundry. (This suggestion applies if you don't live with the
person. If you do live with the person, you probably have to take on all the
tasks).
-Along those lines, remember that the depressed person is
not being lazy. Think of when you're really sick and you can
barely get out of bed to go to the bathroom. That's how a depressive can feel
all the time.
-Learn everything you can about depression. Knowledge is power
and understanding.
-Make sure the depressive is keeping doctor appointments and
taking his or her medication.
-Take care of yourself. Depression can be "contagious." Get
out and do something for yourself alone.
-Recognize that your feelings of anger, frustration and helplessness
are valid.
-Talk to a therapist for help in dealing with
them.
My Links