Dear all
At the moment it seems most (or many) members are experiencing real challenges with the illness we know as depression. Often it's difficult to separate anxiety from depression as they commonly coexist. For example I suffer from both but have stuck to this forum. Reading through each post I can't respond to everyone but I try my hardest to offer those in desperate need -even a short note that i feel for, and are thinking of them. i should clarify that the purpose of this site isnt for members to provide support to anyone-rather the primary purpose is to share, reach out for support for yourself & along the way you may find peoples stories & experiences you can relate to & possibly reach out to.
For me this is my sole form of support at the moment (if you want to textualise read my last post "Broken Heart"). So I can't describe my gratitude as the support I received/am receiving at one of the lowest points of my life, has in so many ways helped me to survive-even if its only existence until I get help to feel alive again. And I've struggled with this illness a longtime-and the usual symptoms such as extreme low confidence, despair, frustration & isolation. I appreciate its one of the toughest battles we each face & in the community we still have not broken the stigma that depression IS an illness. At times you may be able to scrape by, at others you may need constant ongoing care & support.
It is a difficult thing to ACCEPT this illness & if we could, we may be able to make adjustments in our lives to live with it. But to fight year after year hoping that you can completely "overcome" this illness-makes it more difficult-I think-to have support put in place & to educate those in your life who could be a support if they understood the illness. I've always avoided it, found it too painful to accept its an ongoing part of myself that I need to accept & be able to recognise rather than avoid the symtoms that suggest a depressive onset. I recognise now that I HAVE to accept it, the same way I'd have to accept that I had any form of a serious illness & similarly adapt my life so I had the right treatment & knew what to do if I felt really unwell.
There are members here far far more insightful than I am & I in no way think I have a better understanding of this illness. I humbly thank the people who have shown me genuine compassion, support & advice. There's times it seems a small group can focus on a member in crisis & provide all the care & support they can. Then there's other times (this week may be an example) where each person is struggling in their own way & has to focus on their own recovery & keep any energy or strength they have for themselves. Yet other amazing people keep the spirit of the forum alive.
For that, I just wanted to say thankyou. And to those in pain, isolation & despair-I can only hope that you find this site or the support you each need to get well.
im just holding on & that's all I can do right now. But no gratitude is enough for the friendships, connections, care & support I have found on this forum. I truly hope we continue to share our journeys on Beyond Blue.
Lve Mares xxx
