depression
It is not just a matter of feeling sad; discover an honest view of the mental, emotional and physical toll of clinical depression.
It’s Never Mentioned or Talked About
MENTAL HEALTH: “A Person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.”—Google Often times in African Americans or Black peoples households, mental health is overlooked. Many dare not to bring the topic up because of how the family members will react. It’s seen as a joke and therefore swept under the rug. A few years back I experienced this. I was going through a lot at the time with my family. I was suffering from depression and had absolutely no one to talk to. I was trying to act normal like everything was okay. Deep down I knew it wasn’t. I started only going to school when I felt like it and wasn’t eating for days sometimes a week at a time. I noticed that I had become extremely isolated and rarely left my bed. I would spend hours upon hours sleeping. Not binge eating, not working out, not cleaning, not watching tv, not dancing. Just sleeping. My first love is cheerleading, always has and always will be. I stopped cheering and dancing instead stayed home and cried. I had no one to talk to. I was emotionally, mentally, and physically tired. I couldn’t express how I felt to anyone. At first I thought it was temporary but it wasn’t. My family completely ignored the fact that maybe I was struggling after everything that had happened. I was looked down on like I was a burden to all of them. I never mentioned depression to them because it would’ve been looked at as an excuse. No one in my family has ever mentioned depression until recently but, still no one takes it seriously. I lost hope and faith in myself. I was completely crushed. When I was finally able to get out of the situation and start recovering I felt ready. I had spent months in this sickening mindset and was ready to get out and escape. So when I got the chance I hit the ground running. I started focusing on me and my well being. Picked up my weight a little bit and getting back active. At first it was hard, when I started back cheering I would run half a mile and start seeing colors. I was dehydrated and still barely eating so I always felt like I was gonna faint. That’s when I started noticing how much it had effected my body, not just mentally but physically. I kept pushing myself to just keep going every day. Now almost a year and a half later I’m still recovering. Many times I think back to those days and just say thank you. I’m honestly so glad that I’m not in that predicament anymore. I was so broken and I’m now working on myself. Really putting the pieces back together. Depression and overall mental health is the conversation that no one is ready to have but everyone NEEDS to have. It’s very real and needs more attention in Black households. I don’t know if it’s the pride or whatever else but, it’s needs to be talked about. Stop calling us crazy when we say something about it. It’s very real and very much so a problem. The symptoms or signs aren’t always gonna be the ones you see in the videos or on tv. Just because you can’t always see it doesn’t mean someone’s not suffering from it. But then again, it’s the conversation we aren’t ready to have. —Leah Symona
By Leah Symona6 years ago in Psyche
A Story of High FD
We often go through life, and admire the people around us that are successful, that have that life motivation that we cannot think that we can ever achieve. But we rarely think that any of those successful people we idolize struggle, or suffer at all. In our mind, we are always the only ones that are going through it.
By Anastasia S6 years ago in Psyche
6 Small Ways to Alleviate Your Depression Symptoms
If you’ve ever experienced some degree of depression, you’ll know how hard it can be to crawl out of that darkness. Here are six small things you can do to help ease, and maybe even breakthrough your depression—small things that can make a difference in how you’re feeling.
By Tracy Stine6 years ago in Psyche
Surviving Suicide
Suicide. It's something that has affected the majority of people on this planet in one form or another. For those who attempt and survive the experience, the life you knew before doesn't ever quite feel the same way it did before the experience.
By Teresa Landreth6 years ago in Psyche
Anchor
I put on twenty layers of mascara and red lipstick before I walk out the door. You can't cry in red lipstick, and who wants layers of thick black tears running down their faces? I cry when I'm angry, I cry when I'm sad, and I cry when I'm happy. If I experience an intense emotion, it usually ends in tears. I drown in my feelings. I don't swim in them. Today I woke up gasping for air. I hope I don't go under again.
By Ainsley Peace6 years ago in Psyche
Depression
I was normal once. I know I was; I had a reasonably normal and stable family unit. I was loved and cared for; I never went without. I had everything I needed, although not knowing at the time. I never fell on hard times, but learnt life's hard lessons fast. I was never wrapped in cotton wool, but my parents tried to protect me from the harsh reality of the world.
By Daniel Clare6 years ago in Psyche
When Is a Disability Not a Disability?
His formal diagnosis was in 1989, but he had been struggling far longer than that. Depression continues to strangle his potential and smother all joy. Counselor after counselor, doctor after doctor, every medication known to man, two hospital stays—nothing has diminished half a century of torment.
By Joelle White6 years ago in Psyche
The Dangerous Liaison
The Dangerous Liaison She placed the stack neatly aside with all forms diligently signed and dated. The inbox was cleared. Being finally rested, her tasks of staying on top of duties and focusing on executions became briefly easier. A few patient callbacks, an 8-page disability form to fill out, a doctor to connect with, seven notes to complete, and two test results to review and relay would round off the already pregnant day. The flood waters would rise as soon as bucketing the boat stopped. Tonight would haunt her this threat of capsizing tomorrow as every evening had since her practice was created.
By Jean Robey6 years ago in Psyche
Coping with Depression
Before I understood what was happening, I found myself going through intense moments of silence. I don't mean quite literally, but in the times where I would lay in bed for hours for no reason, staring at the ceiling with empty thoughts, I knew it would spell trouble.
By Jessica Jane6 years ago in Psyche
