Just "get over it"

A friend, Nanci's daughter Jaimi, posted this yesterday on facebook ~ I responded that I can relate ~ her own sister responded that "she was gonna keep her mouth shut" ~ seriously?

Now when I first read her response I thought to myself that I didn't know what her thoughts were but when Jaimi responded that she probably should, I kinda figured that she is one of 'those' people.

What is one of 'those' people?  Someone who just doesn't understand depression ~ who doesn't understand how crippling it can be ~ who doesn't understand the dark, dark place it takes you to, whether you want to be there or not.

Years ago when I was diagnosed with depression and put on meds, I figured it would be just a temporary thing ~ the meds helped, life got better so I figured I didn't need meds anymore and (with doctor's ok) went off the meds ~ within a mere few weeks I was finding myself back into that dark place and couldn't understand why ~ my life was so wonderful ~ why was I being dragged into this dark place?  That's when I learned (from my doctor) about situational depression and chemical depression.

Situational depression is just that ~ something has happened ~ someone has died, something bad has happened in life ~ it's a 'situation' in your life that has made you sad beyond sad and "depressed" ~ most people come out of it in time without medication but a little help is not a bad thing.

Chemical depression is totally different ~ life  can be so wonderful and blessed but yet you want to cry ~ you want to withdraw (usually into that dark place) ~ on the outside you may smile and appear happy but on the inside you feel that you just want to shrivel up and be left alone ~ but you don't want to be alone ~ you want to smile & be happy ~ but you can't ~ you can't just "get over it!"

Why is this?  Because your brain is chemically imbalanced. And it's not a bad thing!!!  Taking medication (happy pills as I like to call them) is not a bad thing!!  And no, the pills don't make you happy ~ they help your brain become balanced again.  Do I always feel happy being on anti-depressants? NO!  Do I still get depressed? Absolutely!  But I deal with it all so much better ~ things don't become the end of the world to me anymore ~ that dark place is still there (and I do still go there on occassion) but I'm able to bring myself out of it.

So the next time you see someone is depressed ~ please, please, please don't think they just need to "get over it" ~ they probably want to but honestly can't.

*Susie is now stepping off her soap box*