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.
Just a note -- need to connect with someone who understands. From Halloween thru the first of the year is the worst time for me, and every year I get a few inches closer to suicide. I have no family and my last 2 close friends just died this last year. Thank God an acquaintance, who is alone like me, wants to go out for Thanksgiving dinner; I'm hoping she'll want to go out Christmas but she may be too depressed for that herself. I was lacking an easy method until my clinician (for some reason) told me that the meds I take daily would be enough to kill me if I took enough at a time -- ever since then I've woken up at least one or two days a week thinking how many pills I would need, who to send the notes to (hard when you don't have any family), and what if anything to do with the few possessions I have and with my life insurance. I'm not planning on doing it, but the fact that I think about it so much is a sure sign of trouble. My medical insurance only covers 2 practitioners in my area, one of whom is rotten (per an acquaintance who sees him) and the other of whom is a quack (wanted to change my medical scripts without even talking to my medical doctor, and I'm a diabetic), so anyone I see I have to pay for out of pocket, almost impossible for me. Again, I'm NOT actually intending to do this, I just find myself thinking about it a lot. Does anyone else live thru this during the holidays? I'm sure I'm not the only one. If I can just make it to New Year's Day I've got a good shot at living until the next holiday season.....
At any rate, I will be completely candid with you about my own thoughts....I think of suicide daily. Every day. There isn't a day that goes by that it doesn't cross my mind. Most days it's very fleeting but other days I spend a bit more time on the thought. That said, I can still make it through each day feeling relatively certain that I will still be here tomorrow...next week...next year.
I think many of us think of it more than we will admit to, but what matters is the fact that, although we have these thoughts, that we can rise above them and find at least one reason to live and thus far I have found a reason each day, even if it is the smallest of reasons.
When looking ahead to the holiday season, just find one small thing each day that gives you joy....be it a laugh from something you find funny to a kind word from someone. Maybe make a plan for each day through the end of the year....a plan for you to give a kind word or a support to someone. Your support or kind word to a stranger on any given day may just be what that person needs to get them through and with that, you have done something wonderful....and THAT is what can keep you going....
{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}