Out of Depression — 3 Signposts on the Rocky Road to Mental Health
Be the squeaky wheel who gets the grease
My first experience of what I now know was depression occurred at the ripe old age of three years old. My grandparents were visiting, and my older brothers were joking with them. I didn’t belong anywhere. I remember the scene as if it happened yesterday. I felt ostracized, disregarded, unloved, and worthless.
I backed slowly and silently out of the living room, wondering if anyone would notice. Reaching my bedroom undiscovered, I lay down on my bed with my door shut. There, I fantasized about being dead and watching my family attend my funeral.
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Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses afflicting the population; yet still one of the hardest to cure. Often, the best we can hope for is keeping it under some kind of control. Following are a few things I learned through hard experience that helped me get some relief from this insidious enemy. I’m hoping one or two may help you, too.
SSRIs
Today, we have more ammunition to fight depression than ever before. One of the most effective treatments was introduced 30 years ago with the discovery of SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, aka “anti-depressants”). Not…
