I was wondering if anyone is going through depression, and if so, how do you feel about the holidays? Is the holiday season making your depression better or worse?
I was diagnosed with depression a few months ago. I have depression and mental illness in my family, but I think it was a few bad events happening all at once over the summer that really brought it to surface. I didn't deal with them well, and that's when I knew something was wrong. I just shut down for weeks. Nobody, except maybe my doctor, understands what I'm going through. They say, well, I'm attractive, smart, have people who care about me - they don't get that depression can affect anyone. I was working in the city, and was about to graduate school - had a plan to stay there and work. My apartment was robbed, I didn't feel safe anymore, had to move, and struggle to find work in my economically depressed hometown while adjusting to living with my parents again. My boyfriend broke up with me, then my great aunt had a stroke and was put in a rest home. This all happened in a month's time. I got into a job a couple months later that seemed like a great opportunity, but I just wasn't prepared, and quit abruptly. It would be tough for anyone, but it really destroyed me. Things have gotten better now that I'm taking anti-depressants and talking to my doctor regularly, but I still have concerns about finding a job after the holidays, and being able to handle it if I do get one. It's kind of overshadowing the holiday season. Also, I don't want to face my relatives at our annual Christmas Eve get-together. Some of them are very nosy, and I don't want to talk about my life and why I'm in this rut. I think I'm going to get together with a friend instead of going. I just don't want to go through more anxiety and stress right now - I should be enjoying myself during Christmas. Also, my parrot, Birdie, died this morning, unexpectantly.
It's actually my parents' bird, but I'm the one he liked the most, and I got attached to that bird. Sigh, I'm afraid to leave the house because bad things keep happening. Can anyone relate? What are you doing to get through it?
I was diagnosed with depression a few months ago. I have depression and mental illness in my family, but I think it was a few bad events happening all at once over the summer that really brought it to surface. I didn't deal with them well, and that's when I knew something was wrong. I just shut down for weeks. Nobody, except maybe my doctor, understands what I'm going through. They say, well, I'm attractive, smart, have people who care about me - they don't get that depression can affect anyone. I was working in the city, and was about to graduate school - had a plan to stay there and work. My apartment was robbed, I didn't feel safe anymore, had to move, and struggle to find work in my economically depressed hometown while adjusting to living with my parents again. My boyfriend broke up with me, then my great aunt had a stroke and was put in a rest home. This all happened in a month's time. I got into a job a couple months later that seemed like a great opportunity, but I just wasn't prepared, and quit abruptly. It would be tough for anyone, but it really destroyed me. Things have gotten better now that I'm taking anti-depressants and talking to my doctor regularly, but I still have concerns about finding a job after the holidays, and being able to handle it if I do get one. It's kind of overshadowing the holiday season. Also, I don't want to face my relatives at our annual Christmas Eve get-together. Some of them are very nosy, and I don't want to talk about my life and why I'm in this rut. I think I'm going to get together with a friend instead of going. I just don't want to go through more anxiety and stress right now - I should be enjoying myself during Christmas. Also, my parrot, Birdie, died this morning, unexpectantly.