28 Nov Depression: There and Back Again
Barbara’s Story
I am going to speak to you as someone who should have known better.
I am a Registered Nurse who was night supervisor for a private psychiatric hospital on the coast of Georgia, and someone who had been diagnosed and fully accepted the diagnoses of Major Depression.
I had been successfully treated with an anti-depression medicine and was doing very well. After taking the medicine for 4 years, I ran out, and since I was feeling great, I never started back on the medicine, nor called my doctor to tell her.
For about 4 months I functioned just fine and then I started not sleeping, or eating. I became depressed, sad, fearful, weary, irritable, lost weight and still never thought it might mean I should be on medicine.
I went into a deep dark place, thinking about ending my life to the point of locking myself in the bedroom at night, hiding all the knives, scissors and even the car keys so I would not harm myself or take the car and run off the road.
My life as I knew it suffered. I didn’t want to go to work, which I loved. I started to isolate myself from everyone. I left written instructions everywhere as to how I wanted to be buried, and what to tell the kids and grandchildren.
Finally, a co-worker sat me down and asked what was the matter, as I did not seem myself. I lost a lot of weight and looked “like Hell.“ I had the desire to talk to someone so I told her about my depression and that I had stopped my medicine.
She called my husband and told him he needed to come take me home and to immediately get in touch with my Doctor. He did and I was ever so grateful, help was coming.
It took about 4 or 5 months to get on the correct medicine and dosage and I again felt great, so much so that I started working for my psychiatrist and have been here 4+ years and have no desire to leave, or ever stop taking my medicine again.
My husband saved my life. We have enjoyed traveling, socializing, visiting the kids and grandchildren, and just being alive. I ask you to please not ignore anyone going through depression. There is help and hope, just reach out to someone who may be suffering. I will tell you it is well worth it.
Depressed is not the way to live, just ask me, Barbara.