Spina Bifida Support Group

i believe that there must be! when i was young i missed of on many things in my childhood i became depressed! being the hospital so many times really doesn't help with emotional things!

I'm sure that anybody with a disability can have depression but you don't have to have a disability to have depression either. My 19 year old son has SB and he isn't the depressed one, I am.

I have wondered the same thing. When I was younger I would have said no way but as I have gotten older my thoughts on the subject has changed a great deal. When I had my last surgery ( at 37for a bladder stone caused by un daignosed -I would go to the doctor because of some bad experiences- UTI) )I got really depresssed. My Doctor said that everyone goes through a period of depression when they realize they are not in control of their body after surgery but for some one like me it is much worse because I feel like I am losing what little control I had. So know I believe that Depression and SB are linked. For the lady that said she is the depressed one not her son. That was that way in my world. The doctor told my mom that her depression was linked to my SB too.

there must be some kind of link because I to have delt with depresssion an my doctor now thinks I have bipolar II.
I to had little problems physical growing up but as a teen I just want to fit in which was very hard

There's gotta be. Not necessarily because of the specifics of Spina Bifida, but just because it is a tough disease to live with. I am a 31 yr old male with it, and have NOT had an easy go of it. Although I have had it much easier than some, and consider myself very lucky. I can see how it can get depressing. It hits me now and then (now is one of those times).

i think its got to do with accepting ur dissablity and eing ok with it...which most ppl cnt do including myself things happen that makee us question why etc and it leaves depressed..so yea there is a link from it...

Just last night I was watching the episode of Roseanne where Darlene has her baby, and its so small and they think it's going to die, and she has to decide whether to pull the plug or not. Thinking about what my parents had to go thru with me being born with SB, I got all upset and depressed and teary-eyed and grateful that they chose life. So yah, I think there is a link!

From what my doctors have told me it would surprise them if people with any disability didn't have some kind of depression since birth because of the disability - hey face it it's hard to be "happy" all the time. Hang in there and please see a councelor or doctor about the depression there are great meds out there that will help. I'm on Zoloft and it makes a huge difference for me! Hang in there!

Hey Cathelper, does it make you feel like that little bouncing ball in the commercial? LOL Glad to hear it works though.

hey. i think there must be some kind of link. i know people can can get it for any reason. but i myself had an op when i was little. but i never knew i had spina bifida. none of my family or doctors told me even though they knew. mine got worse when i was nearly 19. i was fine when i found out i treated as something like a cold (ignorant at the time of what it was) and when i found out i had to have a month off work because i broke down when talking to a customer and had to be taken out of work as i was hysterical. i get it on and off now. and my doctor wants to put me on meds. i had meds when i was younger but they did naff all.(depression for another reason) Personally I dont know if any of you have it but im getting sick of people telling me that if it was them they wouldnt get up in a morning they wouldnt be able to smile and joke and they wouldnt be able to cope. sometimes this makes me feel good that im able to cope. but other times it makes me crumble. its really really hard.