Depression Support Group
Depression is a real and debilitating condition that is often misunderstood by family and friends. Its meaning can range from a prolonged period of sadness to an actual mental illness with specific symptoms. Find and share experiences with others who are going through the same struggles.
If it's not one thing, it's another. Tomorrow will be one month since my dad passed. It's been the worst month of my life, and I struggle daily with doing what has to be done.
Last night, my daughter's dad, who is my best friend even though we're not together, called me and said Oliver, his basset hound, had been hit by a car. That dog had been an escape artist lately, and we don't even know how he got out. I got to his house as quickly as I could, and when I got there, he was carrying Oliver back to the house. He was gone. It was so heartbreaking. Not just because the sweet, loving dog was gone, but the pain emanating from my friend. I could feel it on top of my own.
My friend served in Iraq in 2005. He has PTSD and traumatic brain injury. When he'd be having a hard time, going through his crying spells, Oliver would come nuzzle up and lay next to him. Same with when he'd have flashbacks, the dog was there for comfort. He was very in tune with my friend's emotions. He wasn't a trained service dog, someone found him abandoned and took him to my friend's house. The timing was perfect, he was going through a divorce and severe depression. But he considered him his service dog, and this has really torn him up. It hurts to see someone in that much pain. And being in pain myself, it's excruciating.
And another friend of mine...her 2 year old granddaughter was just diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, I believe it's neuroblastoma. Is that the right thing? Anyway, she is the prettiest little thing with big brown eyes...that poor little body is going through so much, and just started chemo. Even though I've never met her, or her parents, I hear about the grandkids all the time. I can't imagine what that family is going through. It's hard enough when a 69 year old man is going through it, imagining all the pain he was in concentrated into a little 60 pound girl, it's mind blowing.
I just want all the death and suffering to stop. It's only the beginning of March, and I'm already completely done with this year.
Last night, my daughter's dad, who is my best friend even though we're not together, called me and said Oliver, his basset hound, had been hit by a car. That dog had been an escape artist lately, and we don't even know how he got out. I got to his house as quickly as I could, and when I got there, he was carrying Oliver back to the house. He was gone. It was so heartbreaking. Not just because the sweet, loving dog was gone, but the pain emanating from my friend. I could feel it on top of my own.
My friend served in Iraq in 2005. He has PTSD and traumatic brain injury. When he'd be having a hard time, going through his crying spells, Oliver would come nuzzle up and lay next to him. Same with when he'd have flashbacks, the dog was there for comfort. He was very in tune with my friend's emotions. He wasn't a trained service dog, someone found him abandoned and took him to my friend's house. The timing was perfect, he was going through a divorce and severe depression. But he considered him his service dog, and this has really torn him up. It hurts to see someone in that much pain. And being in pain myself, it's excruciating.
And another friend of mine...her 2 year old granddaughter was just diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, I believe it's neuroblastoma. Is that the right thing? Anyway, she is the prettiest little thing with big brown eyes...that poor little body is going through so much, and just started chemo. Even though I've never met her, or her parents, I hear about the grandkids all the time. I can't imagine what that family is going through. It's hard enough when a 69 year old man is going through it, imagining all the pain he was in concentrated into a little 60 pound girl, it's mind blowing.
I just want all the death and suffering to stop. It's only the beginning of March, and I'm already completely done with this year.
And then what will happen? Does it help anyone? I don't think it does. I don't think it takes any pain away from them.
So you have to get tougher, and take the long view, and remember the wars, and the horrors of the human condition from the beginning of time. the child deaths of small pox and plague, starvation, cholera. Those are bad ways to die but humans have endured dying that way. Being hit by cars, being torn apart by wolves, being carved up by swords in a war... People and animals have died horribly throughout the history of the world, and we have to find a place inside ourselves where we can cope with that. Where we can be philosophical.
Because to let that pain in solves nothing.
Gentle hugs