I wanted to share one of the best descriptions of DEPRESSION (and addiction) I have ever read. I am sharing a part of someones post that I follow on FB. He is giving his personal testimony and this is as real as it gets.... I pray this might help someone that is suffering, struggling and doesnt know what to do. Many of you know that I have battled severe depression since my childhood. I have been open and honest about this subject in hopes that it might help some of you who are dealing with the same issues. Clinical depression is a lifelong battle. There isn’t a one size fits all solution to depression. It isn’t as simple as taking this pill or that pill. It isn’t as simple as changing your diet. It is a complex issue that thousands of doctors around the world are constantly studying. It isn’t something to be embarrassed about. It is actually quite common and most families have been impacted by the disease. Sadly, over the last few years, some of my favorite music and comedy artists have lost their battles with depression. Many times the battle was lost because of drug or medication overdoses. Many fought the disease for decades. People, that we thought had everything they could ever want in life, were still not able to control their depression. Depression can, after all, be a progressive disease with many side effects. Depression is like an invisible hand in our lives. It is not made up of tears from our eyes, but rather tears from our hearts. One can’t see the hurt, pain, and agony that besieges those around them who suffer from this disease. Only the person who has to live with their own mind can understand the depths of darkness that this invisible hand can lead one into. It is much like falling into a smothering well – a well with no tangible walls or visible light. And, it is a painful madness when trying to explain to someone else that simply saying “it will pass” is not a remedy or cure for depression. Depression not only robs you of today, but it also robs you of yesterday and tomorrow. If not treated, it not only robs you of who you are, but also robs you of who you could become. It will steal the notes off of your sheet of music and the paint off of your paintbrush. It robs your family and friends of joy, as well. Depression is normally caused by chemical imbalances. It can be made worse by traumatic events in life. It can be and often is genetic. In 2003 and 2004 I suffered from chronic secondary insomnia. It occurred suddenly. I ended up in the emergency room because I could not sleep. If you have ever experienced true insomnia then you will understand how scary it can be. Your body can be fatigued, your mind loses the ability to think properly, and yet you can’t sleep. I was prescribed a regiment of sleeping pills. I have taken those pills ever since. Taking those sleeping pills was never an issue for me. It was, at the time, the correct course of action. I took them before bed and I quickly fell asleep. As you know, if you or one of your family members suffers from clinical depression, addiction and depression go hand in hand. Many people, including myself at one time, attempt to medicate themselves to escape depression. This is why many people lose their battle against depression. They don’t seek the proper help – perhaps because they don’t know help is available. Perhaps because they don’t have medical insurance that will cover the costs of treatment. Or perhaps because they are afraid to admit they have a problem. It is hard to ask for help. This is especially true when we don’t understand the problem. For me, it has been an exhaustive battle since I was a teenager. That is a long time fighting, searching for answers, self-medicating, and running. For those of you who battle depression, bi-polar, or other disorders you will appreciate the feeling that occurs when we start to journey into what I call the dark forest. One day we are happily walking through a sunshine filled meadow and the next day we have found ourselves surrounded by trees that block out every last ray of sunlight. This happens without choice. This happens without warning. You can remain in the dark forecast for hours, days, or weeks. One never really knows. Some describe it as falling down a deep well. A well so deep that you can’t see daylight. Combine the disease of addiction with a disorder and the world becomes a dangerous and scary place. Those of us who suffer from these problems must be hyper-vigilant – throughout life. If you have a surgery then you have to worry about pain medicines. If you can’t sleep then you have to worry about sleeping pills. If you catch a cold then you have to worry about couch medicine. Addiction comes in all shapes, forms, and sizes. It is cunning, baffling, and powerful. For those who have struggled with the disease of addiction (or who have family members who have struggled with it) you will understand how difficult the life long battle can be. You constantly have to be on the lookout for the next potential problem. Two months ago, when I found myself addicted to my prescription sleeping pills I knew I had to do something quickly to prevent a rapid spiral downward. This wasn’t my first rodeo when it came to addiction. I knew I was in trouble. I had been on this medicine for ten years with no problems. Then one day it is a problem. That is how addiction works. It is true that you can be addicted to just about anything in life. Even medicine that is not supposed to be a risk for addiction.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 04:08:10 +0000
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