Elsie Ramsey: Bigger Than Depression
“For me, the only chance I have at beating my depression comes from forcing myself to participate in some basic life activities. The only other option I have is unconditional surrender; I’ve been down that road and don’t want to go back again. The second piece of the philosophy is to have compassion for myself when I fall off.” — Elsie Ramsey, Founder of Bigger Than Depression.
Many people who struggle with mental illness talk about how to feel better: Elsie Ramsey prefers to write about what it’s like to not feel better. But that doesn’t mean she’s not taking a proactive role in her recovery: among other tried and true coping techniques like leaning on support networks and finding structure, Elsie writes. And she encourages others to do the same thing.
Ms. Ramsey, founder of the website and blog www.biggerthandepression.com made a decision during one of her darkest moments to become more involved in her treatment plan. The change meant relying as much on herself as her psychiatrist and medications.
When asked about her philosophy on self-discipline she says:
“For me, the only chance I have at beating my depression back comes from forcing myself to participate in some basic life activities. The only other option I have is unconditional surrender; I’ve been down that road and don’t want to go back again. The second piece of my philosophy is to have compassion for myself when I fall off.”
The website dives into a variety of topics surrounding her lived experience including anxiety, depression, grief, and the timely carved out related solely to holiday strain.
Check out the ‘Categories’ section of her blog to read more.
Ms. Ramsey says her main focus will always be reaching out to fellow sufferers in the community by openly advocating for more public conversations about mental illness.
“I want people to know they aren’t alone. I always assume people I come across in the world aren’t in as much pain as I am. It’s my default assumption. So my job is to start the conversation by saying I’m hurting a lot and this is what pain can look like. Excruciating pain isn’t always someone wailing in an institution or talking to themself on the subway. It’s not “us” and “them”, it’s “we”.”
We know that the ripple effect of mental illness and suicide reaches far and wide.
The statistics are reminders of the impact on a global scale.
Every 40 seconds someone dies by suicide. Nearly 1,000,000,000 people every year.
I stop to remind myself on this journey I’ve chosen to take in advocacy that I’ve now lived 18 years past the day I should have died.
But I’m not just a storyteller with a singular humanitarian goal in mind.
I’m a survivor.
I attempted to take my own life by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in 2000. Driven by the idea of change I work tirelessly to give a voice to those who suffer within the negative confines and societal stigma that are unjustly associated with mental illness and the impact of brain disease and associated substance use disorders.
Elsie Ramsey has a part in this journey, as well.
As we all do.
The work she contributes and her messaging of perseverance and hope has had a profound impact on people who don’t feel valuable. It’s like they finally belong.
She said these efforts have given her a sense of hope and purpose that she didn’t always have.
What we do know through all of this is that depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges can cloud a person’s judgement. The reality is that that there are so many barriers to wellness.
So I asked her to elaborate on the goal of helping people see that they’re not alone.
“Depression is a liar. It gets you alone so it can ravage you. Sometimes a loved one isn’t nearby to help drown out the lies and that’s where the internet comes in. You need somewhere to go that won’t reinforce the irrational idea that others are enjoying life in ways you’ll never be able to. Social media is dangerous for me. Where’s the chorus of voices singing about pain? That’s where I needed to land.”
That’s bigger than depression.
For more about Elsie’s journey in wellness, resources that support health and her blog content on Bigger Than Depression please do navigate to:
http://www.biggerthandepression.com/
Check her out on Twitter, too!
@elsieoramsey
If you or someone you know is struggling please reach out for help. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week at (1–800–273-TALK [8255]).
For more digital mental health content check out www.kevinhinesstory.com and look for us on Instagram and on YouTube!
And don’t forget you can also text CNQR to 741–741 if you’re in crisis and need support.
