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My dad hid his depression. I won’t hide mine

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Re: My dad hid his depression. I won’t hide mine

#161

7.62x39 was going to be my bullet of choice. 10 years or so of depression was enough. Until I saw my 3 year old daughter down the hall while I was heading to the closet to get the rifle. In that moment, I chose to endure the pain for her. Not that I didn't think about it again, many times, over the years. A friend happened to call a few days later. He convinced me to schedule a doctor's appointment that day. Tip: The…

One of the things that adds to my depression is that the therapist was also charging $250/hour and I couldnt afford to continue with her.

So I had to stop - because I have three children and I need to cover the expenses for them as a priority. They are the only thing that keeps me here, as I too had to do what you did.

Re: My dad hid his depression. I won’t hide mine

#162
post #13

I'm pretty sure that I don't have depression but I've certainly felt "stuck". The responsibility of raising a family can be a heavy load - and a responsible father feels that weight. An irresponsible father doesn't feel the weight and it has little bearing on his decisions. Kudos for being a real dad - you'll imprint important life lessons on your daughters whether you realize it or not. My eldest daughter (almost 23…

Thank you for this comment. As a father of 3, I know the feel of the load, but its important to note that it also needs to be a partnership to succeed - no single person can carry the load of several children alone.

Also, your site is down...

Re: My dad hid his depression. I won’t hide mine

#163
post #70

Keeping private medical matters private is prudent in almost all interactions with strangers. Ever notice how the POTUS never gets a cold or a flu? Never, ever talk about your health unless it's good. Period.

I've never rated a comment in over a decade, but I rated all of the original poster's comments up. And I really wish I could rate yours down.

Re: My dad hid his depression. I won’t hide mine

#164
post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious and I think others might be as well. How does one possibly go about finding a therapist who is a good fit? It seems like searching for a needle in a haystack -- akin to finding a good life partner which requires lots of trial and error.

I went to a doctor and got anti-depressants first. I didn't find a good therapist until a couple years later, but the meds helped.

yea zoloft gave me a new lease on life even at minimum doses.

But most therapists are useless.

Re: My dad hid his depression. I won’t hide mine

#165

I'm fairly sure I'm depressed, but I feel like I have to hide it in order to protect my mom, who is also depressed. She's been dealing with her depression for about five years now, and thanks to software I've been able to support our family for the past three years (I'm 22), which is fantastic for her and my siblings, but at the same time it makes me feel like I have to be an emotional/financial anchor for the family…

Shrinks work for some people. I can't really take them seriously as it always figures to me they're just as much a wreck as I am.

Anyway, if I were you, I'd cut & run.

Like the fellow below said, you're young, don't waste your youth. Send them some money when you can but don't go down with the ship trying.

Re: My dad hid his depression. I won’t hide mine

#166
Several months ago I saw a documentary about people who have suicidal thoughts. They followed several people who were in contact with a suicide help line, either by phone or by chat, with their approval, sometimes anonymized.

What was new to me was that they only could think of committing suicide. It was a major thought throughout everything they did. Like a major depression is something completely different from being depressed, this seemed like major suicidal. One woman who was in her 30s decided to get a daughter hoping her thougts would disappear when she had someone to take care of. That didn't happen.

When her daughter grew up, she decided not to commit suicide because it would be cruel to her daughter. She had a good job, a nice husband, a good life, with money, car, nice house, a social life and in many ways a better life than I have, but still she wanted to kill herself. It was in every thought she had. I cannot explain it, you have to see and hear her explain it. It was completely new to me. She still lived when the documentary was on TV, but I'm not sure how long she will live.

Re: My dad hid his depression. I won’t hide mine

#167

7.62x39 was going to be my bullet of choice. 10 years or so of depression was enough. Until I saw my 3 year old daughter down the hall while I was heading to the closet to get the rifle. In that moment, I chose to endure the pain for her. Not that I didn't think about it again, many times, over the years. A friend happened to call a few days later. He convinced me to schedule a doctor's appointment that day. Tip: The…

Daughters can be wonderful creatures. Mine has helped me in so many ways she will never realize. I too found my way thru the fog to the light.

Re: My dad hid his depression. I won’t hide mine

#168

7.62x39 was going to be my bullet of choice. 10 years or so of depression was enough. Until I saw my 3 year old daughter down the hall while I was heading to the closet to get the rifle. In that moment, I chose to endure the pain for her. Not that I didn't think about it again, many times, over the years. A friend happened to call a few days later. He convinced me to schedule a doctor's appointment that day. Tip: The…

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