The Author's Corner: In The Air

The rain comes today as the dryness of the open prairie needs the moisture. As you are sitting in the safety of your home the rain begins to fall in steady and slowly moves toward the east. It is the start of the morning when the rain starts and continues into mid afternoon.

The feeling of depression follows the same path as a long summers rain. At times there is the wanting to be over the past events that have created your depression. The key to fight depression is to see the situation for what it is and was where it is in the past. For those of us who will be affected by depression in our lives there is hope when we are at the grips it has on us and we feel that it can not get any worse.

With depression it will pass like the seasons of the year. There are types of depression which most people will go through like seasonal and post partum depression. They come and go with the help of anti-depressants and counselling.

In the cases that need medication to be taken for the rest of your life, they are different because there are chemical imbalances in the mind which causes different symptoms like mood fluctuations, a sense of doom and most feel that there is no way out. Some of them are bipolar and clinical depression.

Like the rain, our days comes to an end and so does the symptoms of depression. When we get our life in order and start to move forward, we walk out of the shadows of the illness.  Most times it takes a strong friend or loved one to show us that there is a positive to life.

Even though one of my medications is for depression, I have had my battles with this part of my illness. Over the years I have had my moments when I was ready to give in and stop fighting. The reason is I got tired of the constant battle that I have with my schizophrenia. There was the last time I was in hospital when my depression had developed into suicidal thoughts. That was when I know I needed to get the help, and I admitted myself to hospital.

Depression starts with negative thinking as it takes over your thought process. Most of the early signs are overlooking as nothing much at all. Then as it takes hold of you is when most people get defensive. By that point it is when help is needed, be it a stay in the hospital or an appointment with a trained mental health professional.

All in all, depression will affect one in every two people sometime during their life. It is the most common mental health problem that is diagnosed in the world today. Take your life easy and be kind to yourself and others who may be suffering as well. Remember there is help out there.

Stay safe.