EPISODE #154- Breaking the Stigma: A Personal Journey Through the Challenges of Depression

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:10

Hello and welcome to Win Over Depression. I am your host, tamara Trotter. The Win Over Depression brand is a non-profit organization. We have a website and YouTube channel, both called Win Over Depression. We also have a Pinterest account, which is TT Mental Health Expert. In addition, we can be found on LinkedIn, twitter, instagram. You could also join my Facebook group, also called Win Over Depression.

Speaker 1: 0:39

Today, we're going to be talking about what people who suffer with depression really want you to know. So, as I've talked to you earlier about, I have suffered from depression for most of my adult life, and so, because of that, I feel as though I really have honed in on many of the components of depression, the symptoms, ways to overcome it, and because of that, I feel like I'm almost a resident expert in the matter. And so, looking back over the years that I've suffered with depression, there are several things that I wish that I knew a long time ago. Number one is I wish that I knew that it was due to a chemical imbalance in the brain and that there were so many other people who suffered just like I did, and so I was very personal in that I didn't want anyone to know, and I knew that I needed help, but I felt that it was a weakness or I was weak if I didn't want anyone to know, and I knew that I needed help, but I felt that it's not their fault.

Speaker 1: 1:55

Depression is a disease. It's due to a chemical imbalance in the brain. It could also be hereditary, and a person who suffers with depression cannot just turn it off and on. Also, you may not take it seriously. You may think that the person is just trying to get attention. That couldn't be further from the truth. I would not wish depression on anyone, and so when I look back, what I remember most is being more concerned about what other people would think about me if they knew if I suffered from a mental illness, rather than looking to help myself feel better and not feel as though I was being a burden to my family. And so that's what happens. Is you just have this mixed up mind that is trying to convince you that you really can just snap out of it, or you're just really overreacting? And so I can just let you know that, even though I have been proactive in my quest to reduce my symptoms of depression, I still struggle, but I can only imagine how many people out there have absolutely no idea of what to do or where to start, and then to add to their pain. Their family doesn't understand, and they don't have a supportive network of people who are trying to understand them better, but rather feel as though they're just making things up.

Speaker 1: 4:05

Mental illness because people want to water it down and act as if it's not a disease, just like alcoholism and I'm here to tell you that it is, and it's not something to take lightly, and so if you are in a situation where you have someone that you know suffers with a mental illness, the best thing that you can do is learn more about it and don't make any assumptions, because when you do that, you're really discrediting the person who has the illness, and so all of us who suffer with a mental illness, we need as many people as we can get to be in our corner and try to understand what we go through every day. So, even though I take medication, I try to exercise as much as I can, I try to eat certain foods that help with depression, I still fall short and I still have symptoms, and so imagine if there's someone who doesn't have any tools in their toolbox to help them get through the day-to-day struggle with depression, you feel like it's raining, but only on you. Like it's raining, but only on you. It's like a cloud of sadness that follows you and it can be there at any time and it just hits you. And in the morning you have to set up your day and really try to imagine what your day is going to look like and make the most of the day by not having any symptoms of depression, and it's very challenging. It is not easy. People who suffer from depression keep it inside because they don't want people to treat them differently once they learn that this person may suffer with a mental illness.

Speaker 1: 6:21

I remember several years ago, I had a supervisor and she was on me about being on time to work, and actually that was one of my goals every single day was to be on time. Well, when you suffer with depression, it's hard to get out of bed, and I was struggling, and so I felt like I had to reveal to her that I suffer with depression or it was just going to be a bad set of circumstances for me. And the truth is I didn't trust her and I had situations with her that I felt she could have done differently. So, in other words, I didn't feel as if she would understand, but I made the decision because I wanted her to at least know what my goals are and know that I do care about being on time. And so I remember just going into her office and explaining it to her and I was very apprehensive and I told her that my goal was to be on time to work every day and, surprisingly enough, she understood and she did begin to work with me and it actually worked out for the better or for the best.

Speaker 1: 7:44

But you just never know how people are going to receive you. So if you don't take anything else away from this episode today, just know that people who suffer with depression keep it inside because of all the stigmas that they face. They can't just snap out of it. It is a disease. There are over 800,000 people every year that take their life due to suicide, and it is real. It is a real live disease. Some people are so affected by it that they can't even work and they have to be on disability, and it's a tough road. It's a tough road. So I never want to end my podcast without thanking you so very much for listening.