My Experience with Depression and Anxiety

Depression and anxiety runs in my family. I am sure that there are genetic components in those suffer from these illnesses. I wonder too how much is because of genetics and how much can be attributed to dysfunction and abuse in families.

Depression is anger turned inward.

When I was going through a divorce almost 30 years ago, I took my son to a counselor. He was not dealing with the divorce very well. I don't think that any child deals with divorce well. Where my other 2 children became more withdrawn and quiet, he became angry and violent.

I now can see that we were all suffering from depression.

I started a cleaning business, which really helped me to survive through all of the struggles of being a single parent. I had to schedule my work around court dates, appointments, and continuing catastrophes. I would get calls from the school, telling me that I needed to pick my son up because he was kicked out once again.

We started counseling because of the issues that my children had with the divorce and the alcoholism in the family. I had been in Alanon and AA but their father was still drinking. There was a lot of chaos and abuse as a result of the disease of alcoholism. Divorce exacerbates all the issues when alcoholism is involved.

I am not depressed!

My son's problems brought up all the other issues in the family. I thought being new to 12-step programs that I didn't need anything else but the recovery programs. Our counselor pointed out to me that I was clinically depressed. I scoffed and said that I was not depressed. I got up and went to work everyday and ran my household. I protested loudly. "I am not depressed! Depressed people can't get out of bed. They cannot function. I am not depressed!"

What if you just admit that you are suffering from depression?

Our counselor said, "Yes you are depressed. You may be able to function but you are still depressed. Not all people who suffer from depression are unable to function."

He then asked me what would happen if I just admitted to myself that I was suffering from depression. I told him that I would fall apart. I didn't fall apart. I was able to deal with the overwhelming everyday horror that I had to face. I also after fighting it for many years, went on medication.

It is hard to face that depression and anxiety are mental illnesses.

It is hard to hear that depression and anxiety are mental illnesses. No one wants to be labeled as mentally ill, but the truth is that it is a mental illness. There are chemical imbalances in the brain that causes depression and anxiety.

How to deal with depression and anxiety.

Today I exercise, eat healthy (ha, most of the time) and take vitamins. It is also very important to get a sufficient amount of sleep. I know that liquid vitamin B complex helps me with depression, anxiety and other ills that I have. I have a predisposition to heart disease. I also suffered from migraines for years. I still deal with allergies. Interestingly enough Vitamin B is supposed to be good for all of those ailments. It is important to have a counselor too at least when you are first dealing with depression.

Please if you are suffering from anxiety and or depression, seek
professional help.

It also helps to have a support system of others with such problems. There are numerous 12-step programs that can help you deal with issues that run hand in hand with depression and anxiety. Consult a professional and if you don't want to do that or can't afford it, you can at least look for free programs listed in your telephone book. You don't have to suffer in silence.