Self Reflection
When I first became depressed, I took pains to hide my feelings from everyone, including my family and close friends, not out of shame, but because I didn’t want to worry them. Then, when I was finally diagnosed with depression, the number of negative responses I got meant that I tried to keep it quiet to avoid the hassle. Since then, I think I’ve developed a pretty healthy attitiude towards my illness, being open and honest about it, whilst hopefully not going on about it too much.
Within a couple of days, however, I have been told by two separate people that I do not want to get better, or that the will to get better is not there. From one person, I can dismiss it, but from two, I feel I have to examine the possibility. So I guess this is a plea for your help. What should my attitiude towards my illness be, and what should I expect other people’s attitudes to be?
My depression is certainly not the norm for someone diagnosed with the condition. Most people will undergo some form of treatment, whether it be medication, therapy or something else, and will have recovered fully within a couple of years. It is possible, although far from certain, that I may have to live with depression for life, so my attitudes will obviously be altered from those of the average sufferer.
So should I be ashamed of my illness, and not accept that it’s a part of me? Should I be encouraging other sufferers to talk about their illness and to stop being ashamed, or am I doing more harm than good? Any comments or thoughts would be much appreciated.