Monday, May 17, 2010
• Crisis Hotlines: If you are feeling suicidal or just don’t know where to turn please call these 24 hour numbers.
National Suicide Hopeline Phone: 800.784.2433
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Phone: 800.273.8255
Other Mental Health Resources:
• National Alliance on Mental Illness Phone: 800.950.NAMI (800.950.6264)
• Psychology Today Therapist Directory
• If you cannot afford therapy or mental health services I have written an article to help you. Please read my post, “How do I Get Mental Health Services with No Money and No Insurance” as well as all the reader comments.
12 Ways to a Happier You 
10 Things Not to Say to Someone With Depression 
6 Behavior Changes During Depression 
20 Confidence Boosters That Work 
Many people think of Depression as a psycological disorder. I'm glad that this list included Physical health and the correlation between a consistently very low mood and its toll on our Physical Health. Depression can play havoc with the health of our heart, out BP, the dreadful fatigue experienced during a bad Clinical depression and subsequent days in bed has its obvious side effects too. There are many things in the body that dont work, the intestines for instance, the immunity going down leaves us open to infections, flu s, also Heart Disease, Stroke and Cancer. This is why we must educate the public on this awful blight called Depression and have it graded like any other disorder. End the Stigma for once and for all via Education and an encouragement to come out of the closet and say if youre hardly getting through days with consistent low mood etc.,
Thanks Rosemarie!
Yes absolutely...depression is extremely hard on the body. The mood/body connection is so strong. And if you are depressed and have an illness...you can't properly heal or recover very well...due to the depression. It is a very bad cycle.
And yes...let's end the stigma by talking about this. There is no shame in suffering from depression.
Glad you are here...are you doing okay today?
Thanks for asking Merely Me, I have to be truthful and say, its a pretty deep Clincial depression. I dont want it, theres no payback, see Im already on the defensive about an illness thats plagued me all my life, I still feel I must justify feeling so dreadfully low and exausted and without hope, yet if I had a heart condition, id have no such qualms about talking about it. I see the shrink again next Thursday so hopefully It wont go on for ever. I am exausted from it.
Take care MM. and yes, lets get this Stigma lifted on a very very painful and very misunderstood cluster of emotions within the mind that also effect the body and kill [via suicide] many people each year.
I have suffered from depression since I was in my teens and am now a 40 year old woman. I have learned to accept the fact that it is an illness like many others and that the stigma should be left at the door and ignored by many. Unfortunately, I have been suffering from severe back problems since July of 2010. I have had 2 back surgeries and am now looking at a third. This has caused a major decrease in my quality of life and has really tested my ability to deal with the depression on a daily basis. I have had to take pain medication each day and am terrified of becoming addicted. My biggest problem is that my primary care doctor knows what I have been going through and in a serious bout of depression, begged for help and assistance and no one has returned my phone calls...not the nurse or the doctor. This adds to the depression and the plans to bring an abrupt end to the pain. Do the professionals not understand that some health issues require you to address them immediately and that there is a seriousness to them.