生存和激励

生存和激励

我今年33岁，在家，从小就有忧郁症，吃过很多药，好象没有效果。

年轻时，忧郁症发作会持续3-4个月，吃药也不行，但我挺过来了。

最近的一次发作在圣诞节前，对我打击很大。程度之深使我无法照料我的小孩，帐也记不了。我意识到忧郁症会严重影响倒我的生活，以及我和丈夫的关系。我非常内疚患了忧郁症，不能把我最好的一面展示给我所爱的人。这一次发作非常严重，我脱水，衰竭，被送 到当地医院急救室，我不想让任何人失望，继续激励自己。最后，我只好说实话，我得了忧郁症，我大大松了一口气。

我仍然必须和忧郁症抗争，我不想让别人以为我疯了。但我的确是得到了我的家人和朋友 的支持，他们认为我实话实说，勇气可嘉。

我希望别的忧郁症患者能看到我所写的，知道自己不是孤单的。

很多人得了忧郁症，你都想象不到。我坦白我的病，求助，得到了辅导，感觉好一些。我的 日子仍然不好过，但我竭力提醒自己，我有小孩，一天一天我得好好过。说实话我已经接受了这个事实：我有忧郁症。我知道我没疯，我知道乌云会过去，我没有办法不得忧郁症，接 受它给了我力量。

我希望读者读到这里，即使在最困难的时候，也要记住，即使你的配偶对你有怨言，你的朋友不理解你，你会活下去。你有希望！我知道因为我活下来了。所以你也能。上帝保佑你。永远保持信心。

Brenda

Survival and Inspiration

I am a 33-year old stay-at-home mother who suffers from unipolar depression. I have endured major depressive episodes since my childhood. I have been on many antidepressant medications since then but nothing has seemed to work. As a young adult, my periods of depression started lasting anywhere from 3-4 months even on medication but somehow I muddled through them.

My most recent depression, before Christmas, hit me really hard. It was devastating not being able to care for my children and do simple tasks like balancing my checkbook. I realize my depression has taken a toll on the relationships in my life and the relationship I have with my husband. I do feel guilty about my disease because I want to be at my best for the people I love. This time around, my depression got so bad I ended up in the emergency room of our local hospital with dehydration and exhaustion. I didn't want to let anyone down and continued to push myself. Finally, I had to come clean and tell the people in my life what was going on with me. When I told them I had clinical depression, it really was such a relief! I still battle internally with the stigma because I don't want people to think I am crazy. But I really got a lot of support from my friends and family and I think they admired my integrity for being honest.

My wish is for someone else with depression to read this and realize that you are not alone! Depression affects more people than you would ever imagine. For me, feeling better came from being honest about my disease, reaching out, and realizing, with the help of counseling, that I'm not alone. I still have my bad days, but then I try to remember my children need me and know that I am doing my best by taking life day by day. I can honestly say I have accepted my disease. I know I am not crazy. I know the dark times will pass, and that it is something out of my control. Acceptance has given me strength.

I hope anyone who is reading this, even on the darkest of your days, will remember - even when people are telling you to "buck up," or when your spouse is frustrated with you, and your friends don't understand, you will survive. There is hope! I know because I have survived it. So can you. God bless you. Always keep the faith.

http://www.dbsalliance.org/stories/Brenda.html