Starting conversations about mental health

I don't really post statuses about depression or mental health on my Facebook page but I heard about a young man who contemplated suicide on the Scots Monument and some of the comments around this I found very sickening. I was surprised to see it was from people who I was friends with on Facebook I ended up deleting them as friends because the comments were just vile. This was a young man who had completely hit rock bottom and suicide was the only thing on his mind which is a sad thing to hear. People taking photos of him and commenting on how he was "selfish" and "should just go ahead and do it instead of causing disruption" is this really the attitude people have about mental health? When someone's so vulnerable and needing help this is how horrible some people can be. It really disgusted me. People writing information on a comment about depression and not being very well educated about the illness. This is a guy who probably had nobody to turn to and felt like this was the only way out and all we can do is criticise him and be horrible towards him. This is someone's friend or family member we are talking about here. I was relieved to hear that after 2 hours the police managed to talk him down and I really do hope he is now getting the help and support that he needs. I was sitting on the train home from college when I thought about writing a status about it but I was having second thoughts because I wouldn't know what people would say etc. I decided to post it in the end and after three minutes since being posted it had 7 likes and then two hours later this happened.....

95 likes and 28 comments. I didn't expect it to get that much attention and people commenting. I had people commenting telling me how they'd felt low and sucidal in the past and I really admired people's bravery of posting how they'd suffered from depression and what got them through it. I had comments of people agreeing with my status and saying they were proud of me for posting a status like this and a few people worked out that I suffer from depression. 

Three hours later. I went onto my news feed again and I was shocked to see that the conversations about mental health were ongoing. I saw various statuses about people suffering from depression and not being ashamed of it and it's true you shouldn't be ashamed of suffering from depression. It's perfectly okay to seek help for depression, it's okay to be in therapy, it's okay to take antidepressants. You need to do what's best for you and if that means seeing the mental health services then that's perfectly okay. We will all require support at some points in our lives and that's not a bad thing at all. I think what people struggle to understand is that depression is an illness, it's not a choice. This quote really does explain it: 'That's the stigma, because, unfortunately, we live in a world where if you break your arm, everyone runs over to sign your cast, but if you tell people you're depressed, everyone runs the other way. That's the stigma. We are so, so, so accepting of any body parts breaking down, other than our brains. And that's ignorance. That's pure ignorance. And that ignorance has created a world that doesn't understand depression, that doesn't understand mental health.'

If anyone needs to vent or anything do send an email to: MHrecoveryx@hotmail.com and I'll reply asap! Recovery will happen and we can fight this❤️

To anyone who is struggling with depression

          

If you, or someone you know, is suffering from depression, please read this. You will get through this❤️

You may not know me and that's okay but as I sit here and write to you I want to let you know you will be okay. Even though you don't know me I am here for you. There's something very frightening about darkness I know. That scary place you feel you're in. It's dark, bleak and everything feels so hopeless. All you can think of is how to get yourself out of this shit dark place. But you don't have the motivation and all you would rather do is curl up in a ball and cry because you're powerless, you're tired and defeated. You feel lost and you aren't really sure who you are anymore. You feel weak and you feel worthless. You cannot get away from the thoughts inside your head no freedom no silence. You have no hope in getting better because it's too hard. I understand because I experience this. This illness is shit I know and I wish I could make it better for you. 

You may have a reason as to what triggered your depression or you might not and that's okay. I'm not expecting you to know all the answers. All I know is that it's unfair that you have depression and how much it is affecting you. I know this is hard to live with but you gotta keep fighting. Keep fighting for someone or something you love. Maybe your friend, family, baby in the family or even something or someone else? You gotta find something to keep going for even if it's something small. The darkness is horrible I know and there has been times when you've probably thought "what's the point?" But I want to tell you that you are strong and that you can do this. You have so much strength even though you don't feel strong right now I believe you are because you are still fighting and trying to improve things no matter how difficult this is. 

There's so much uncertainty and I know that is so frightening and distressing. I know that there will be periods that you experience that will be hard, so fucking hard but don't give up. Some days you may feel like giving up and may feel unable to cope. But it will get better, I know you are probably unable to believe this but it will take time. There are ways to cope with this illness and there is support available. Medication is an option and it can be helpful with managing your condition but your GP can give you as much support as you need. Let people in to help you, it's okay to ask for help when you need it. It's NOT your fault you have depression. Asking for help DOESN'T make you weak. 

Depression left me feeling weak and low and it was a horrible thing to have to deal with. The thoughts were and still are hard to deal with. I hated how depression would strike me and I would be in a darkness I couldn't get out of it just wasn't bearable. It brought a lot of feelings of shame and guilt and those were hard to deal with. I reached out for help and it was the most terrifying thing to ever do. The three words that were the hardest to admit were; "I need help." It was my teachers who were my absolute rocks if it wasn't for them I wouldn't have been able to cope with the darkness depression surrounded me in. They sat with me when I was feeling very low, listened to me, understood me and were there for me, they saved me from things getting so much worse. They encouraged me to attend doctors appointments and supported me no matter what. I'm receiving treatment at the moment I receive weekly support and on medication. Even though I suffer from depression I know it doesn't define me as a person.

I've learned that you are never alone. There are always people you can talk to about what you're going through. But the thing you have to do is let them in to help and let them know what you are going through. Just having someone to support you through this difficult time in your life can help. But I understand that it may be hard for you to talk to people about how you feel. You may be feeling embarrassed and ashamed but let me tell you that you have nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about. You may feel that if you tell your family, friends, colleagues etc that you have depression you may fear that you will be judged and treated differently. There's so much stigma surrounding depression and that stigma needs to be challenged because it's stopping people from speaking out about depression and mental health. 

You deserve to get better and you deserve help. Please don't suffer in silence because it's just too difficult to deal with on your own. Talk to someone you trust whether that's a friend, family member, teacher or a doctor. You deserve to get better and be happy. You deserve to be free from this monster called depression. You can get through this because I believe in you💜

Keep Fighting x

If anyone needs to talk or anything please send me an email on: MHrecoveryx@hotmail.com and I will get back to you asap. 

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