Depression, suicide. How is everyone?
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I suppose there is that. We never can see what it is that makes us so special in the eyes of others, because to us it's normal.
Thank you all so much for the sharing and compassion in this thread, and on these boards. I knew that we have an amazing thing going here, and I'm glad others have gotten to see it, some for the first time.
((((((((((SKMB))))))))))
((((((((((SKMB))))))))))
...and without you, I would have crumbled long ago....my heart and life for you.....To answer the question...
Today I'm doing okay. Heavy hearted....and thankful.
Shared this on the RIP thread as well, but wanted to make sure I shared this as much as I could. Makes you stop and think.... It's well written. I saw this on Facebook and had to share.
Hope everyone is doing better today!!! ((((LOVE & HUGS))))
"Robin Williams didn't die from suicide. I only just heard the sad, sad news of Robin Williams’s death. My wife sent me a message to tell me he had died, and, when I asked her what he died from, she told me something that nobody in the news seems to be talking about.
When people die from cancer, their cause of death can be various horrible things – seizure, stroke, pneumonia – and when someone dies after battling cancer, and people ask “How did they die?”, you never hear anyone say “pulmonary embolism”, the answer is always “cancer”. A Pulmonary Embolism can be the final cause of death with some cancers, but when a friend of mine died from cancer, he died from cancer. That was it. And when I asked my wife what Robin Williams died from, she, very wisely, replied “Depression”.
The word “suicide” gives many people the impression that “it was his own decision,” or “he chose to die, whereas most people with cancer fight to live.” And, because Depression is still such a misunderstood condition, you can hardly blame people for not really understanding. Just a quick search on Twitter will show how many people have little sympathy for those who commit suicide…
But, just as a Pulmonary Embolism is a fatal symptom of cancer, suicide is a fatal symptom of Depression. Depression is an illness, not a choice of lifestyle. You can’t just “cheer up” with depression, just as you can’t choose not to have cancer. When someone commits suicide as a result of Depression, they die from Depression – an illness that kills millions each year. It is hard to know exactly how many people actually die from Depression each year because the figures and statistics only seem to show how many people die from “suicide” each year (and you don’t necessarily have to suffer Depression to commit suicide, it’s usually just implied). But considering that one person commits suicide every 14 minutes in the US alone, we clearly need to do more to battle this illness, and the stigmas that continue to surround it. Perhaps Depression might lose some of its “it was his own fault” stigma, if we start focusing on the illness, rather than the symptom. Robin Williams didn't die from suicide. He died from Depression*. It wasn't his choice to suffer that."
Hope everyone is doing better today!!! ((((LOVE & HUGS))))
"Robin Williams didn't die from suicide. I only just heard the sad, sad news of Robin Williams’s death. My wife sent me a message to tell me he had died, and, when I asked her what he died from, she told me something that nobody in the news seems to be talking about.
When people die from cancer, their cause of death can be various horrible things – seizure, stroke, pneumonia – and when someone dies after battling cancer, and people ask “How did they die?”, you never hear anyone say “pulmonary embolism”, the answer is always “cancer”. A Pulmonary Embolism can be the final cause of death with some cancers, but when a friend of mine died from cancer, he died from cancer. That was it. And when I asked my wife what Robin Williams died from, she, very wisely, replied “Depression”.
The word “suicide” gives many people the impression that “it was his own decision,” or “he chose to die, whereas most people with cancer fight to live.” And, because Depression is still such a misunderstood condition, you can hardly blame people for not really understanding. Just a quick search on Twitter will show how many people have little sympathy for those who commit suicide…
But, just as a Pulmonary Embolism is a fatal symptom of cancer, suicide is a fatal symptom of Depression. Depression is an illness, not a choice of lifestyle. You can’t just “cheer up” with depression, just as you can’t choose not to have cancer. When someone commits suicide as a result of Depression, they die from Depression – an illness that kills millions each year. It is hard to know exactly how many people actually die from Depression each year because the figures and statistics only seem to show how many people die from “suicide” each year (and you don’t necessarily have to suffer Depression to commit suicide, it’s usually just implied). But considering that one person commits suicide every 14 minutes in the US alone, we clearly need to do more to battle this illness, and the stigmas that continue to surround it. Perhaps Depression might lose some of its “it was his own fault” stigma, if we start focusing on the illness, rather than the symptom. Robin Williams didn't die from suicide. He died from Depression*. It wasn't his choice to suffer that."
I heard a little while ago that he'd recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. I have no idea if the report is true, but if it is, I can only imagine how the news might effect someone already suffering with a major depressive disorder.
It is true. Frank-- His wife issues a statement.
"Since his passing, all of us who loved Robin have found some solace in the tremendous outpouring of affection and admiration for him from the millions of people whose lives he touched," Schneider said. "His greatest legacy, besides his three children, is the joy and happiness he offered to others, particularly to those fighting personal battles.
Comedic actor Robin Williams dies
"Robin's sobriety was intact and he was brave as he struggled with his own battles of depression, anxiety as well as early stages of Parkinson's disease, which he was not yet ready to share publicly.
"It is our hope in the wake of Robin's tragic passing, that others will find the strength to seek the care and support they need to treat whatever battles they are facing so they may feel less afraid."
"Robin's sobriety was intact and he was brave as he struggled with his own battles of depression, anxiety as well as early stages of Parkinson's disease, which he was not yet ready to share publicly.
"It is our hope in the wake of Robin's tragic passing, that others will find the strength to seek the care and support they need to treat whatever battles they are facing so they may feel less afraid."
I'm a manic depressive, so I'm quite well versed on this subject.
Needless to say, I totally empathise with Robin Williams.
As always happens when the subject of depression is thrust into the spotlight, I've seen a lot of ignorant comments over the past few days. It's sad enough that people don't understand mental illness, but what makes it worse is the sheer number of people who don't even try to understand it.
Needless to say, I totally empathise with Robin Williams.
As always happens when the subject of depression is thrust into the spotlight, I've seen a lot of ignorant comments over the past few days. It's sad enough that people don't understand mental illness, but what makes it worse is the sheer number of people who don't even try to understand it.
It's sad to say, but I have had to walk away from some of my family because all they did was bring me down. Most of all my Mom, people say to me when they find out we haven't talked in years- Oh you shouldn't be like that, move past it, she's your mom... well I can't move past it, I have tried to, but when you get kicked so many times you learn to move out of the way of the kicker. I miss her, we used to be very close. But after losing my sister she shut me out and then started kicking me again and I had to walk away
. Scott and I renewed our Wedding Vows at 15 years, because we knew there would be family members who might not be here with us on our 20th. I lost two of my grandparents before we hit 20 and I am so thankful I have the pictures of them and had them there that day. For whatever reason some time after our renewal my mom made the statement to me that I should have used the money we spent on the renewal and got a lawyer and divorced Scott!! I have no idea what brought it on, but it was the last straw for me.
I still put everyone before myself. I hope to find a way to make me matter, still working on it, but it's hard. I want to try things, but am afraid of failure, so I back out.
That's all it takes sometimes is just for someone to be there. My best friend tried to take her life after her divorce and she and I watch out for each other, and are there whenever the other needs to talk.
Scott is my knight, he too is my rock and listens when I need him and I for him. I believe we were meant to be, it hasn't always been easy no marriage or relationship is. If it is, it isn't real ( my opinion only).
It's really good that this thread got started, I think those of us that have been honest and open will find trust and comfort from one another. If anyone wants to talk one on one just PM me, I will be there for you.
AND Thank you for opening your hearts and accepting here, I know you all know Scott and have for sometime, it's just been great how you have welcomed here. Thank you!!
AMEN!!!!
Prime example: My ex-husband just found out today that our daughter is on depression medication.(she suffers from SAD and has had a tough time since my sister's death) He got all pissy and told her it's all in your head, there's nothing wrong with you. You're just doing it to get the drugs, and one thing is going to lead to another and you're just going to end up being a drug addict. OH momma bear is HOT!!!! Talk about IGNORANCE!!!
Yep, that's a pretty typical comment from an uninformed and apathetic person.
I've heard them all. The same old remarks time and time again. Fortunately, I am quite an easygoing person despite the manic depression, so I just let it go over my crazy old head and leave them to it. If I spent/wasted my time trying to educate these people, I would end up driving myself to despair. It's easier to simply accept that some people are idiots.
I don't like that Depression, Clinical Depression and not the occasional depression we ALL feel, is labeled a mental illness. I just don't like that term at all. It makes it sound crazy. It's depression. Call it that and that alone.
Depression is Depression no matter how it's labled
I know exactly what you mean.
Getting it considered a mental illness in the first place is a lot of progress. It took it from either being "madness" or "lunacy", an excuse to discard people, or being "nerves" and something people just didn't talking about, to being a treatable, serious disorder.
But the problem with terms is the stigma will follow. When the term "retarded" was first used, it was to avoid the then-offensive terms for those disabilities. Then it became the new insult. The same thing is happening with the term "special".
But I agree, illness sounds wrong. Like you've got the plague or something. Sometimes words like "condition" or "disorder" get used. "Mood disorder" is common for depression, or depressive disorder. And it doesn't help that "mentally ill" triggers alarms in people like the person stepped out of a horror movie.
Yes it is. I just don't like them making it mental illness though. JMO. The words "mental illness" are part of the stigma of people getting proper treatment. again, JMO.
That makes me just furious. I've seen two people I know nearly die because they listened to people with that attitude: one friend's son stopped taking his medication while on a mission for his church because his companion told him it made him a drug addict and 'not worthy'. After being off his meds for a very short time, he tried to drown himself in the ocean off the coast of Brazil and nearly succeeded. He was hospitalized for months afterward, and it took quite a while to get him stabilized again. Another friend decided she needed birth control pills more than she needed to take her meds for bipolar disorder-- after all, her husband told her it was all in her head, and they really couldn't afford a baby right then. She was discovered by her mother after hanging herself. Another close miss. A third friend decided that taking St. John's Wort was just the same as her meds for bipolar disorder. In fact, that herb is absolutely proscribed with that disorder--it INCREASES the chance of suicide.
This is exactly what I meant: just because someone loves you does not make them capable of understanding medical need. If you need a doctor, SEE A DOCTOR. If you think someone else might need to see a doctor, tell them to SEE A DOCTOR. Don't attempt to diagnose for another person. Just love them and check up on them.
And Tracy, you are very brave to be so open. I'm very glad you followed The Giant to this happy, safe place.
There are a lot of people who have people in their lives saying, "you don't need medicine, just work through it." Sometimes they can, and sometimes they can't. It's sort of Russian roulette and that attitude of "nothing is wrong with you, toughen up" is ignorance and does a lot of harm. It's callous.
...so am I...her heart is twice as large as she is tall....she is the answer to every prayer I've ever offered up...
[QUOTE
Another friend decided she needed birth control pills more than she needed to take her meds for bipolar disorder-- after all, her husband told her it was all in her head, and they really couldn't afford a baby right then. She was discovered by her mother after hanging herself. Another close miss
][/QUOTE]
I have a sister who is bi-polar and thank heaven for her meds. With her meds she is able to function. It irks me to no end for someone to tell a person who is suffering from depression etc. that it is all in their head.......or that they do not need their meds. When my Sister skips her meds ( quite common for her ) She is extremely manic, and I always fear what she will do.
Another friend decided she needed birth control pills more than she needed to take her meds for bipolar disorder-- after all, her husband told her it was all in her head, and they really couldn't afford a baby right then. She was discovered by her mother after hanging herself. Another close miss
][/QUOTE]
I have a sister who is bi-polar and thank heaven for her meds. With her meds she is able to function. It irks me to no end for someone to tell a person who is suffering from depression etc. that it is all in their head.......or that they do not need their meds. When my Sister skips her meds ( quite common for her ) She is extremely manic, and I always fear what she will do.