How?

[razocaine_07]

hi banana, the first thing isnt to be ashamed, depression and the use of anti-depressants is commonplace in society these days. Unfortanetly i have seen the way people percieve mental conditions first hand and they way you can be treated like a 'fruit loop' as i call it. Anyway, i talk to my g/f and close family about when i need help and how i feel each day, a problem shared is a problem halved

[davidr]

Hi hannah Banana,

I am sorry to hear of your battle with depression. I have struggled with depression in various forms for most of my life and can relate to how diificult this is to communicate to others.

In the very dark days I actively sought not to communicate full stop, sleeping and spending time alone as much as possible. As I feel better now and I am able to look back with perspective. I understand just how closed I was to others and any attempts at help. I was just not in a receptive state to want to talk about my feelings etc and to all intents and purposes unreachable. It did not matter to me if anyone understood or even wanted to understand I was so deeply involved in my own self.

I would therefore say that your wish to communicate how you feel and your need to have reaffirmation from others that it is OK to be depressed is a very good sign that you are recovering and that your medication is helping you as this was the start for me on the road to recovery. Peoples peception of you at this stage is important as you are trying to rebuild and remodel a brighter less depressed self and you are vunerable to others opinion as there are still issues of worthiness and acceptance running around your brain as you try to feel more 'normal'.

If you are seeing a psychiatrist or behavioural therapist I am sure they will guide you through this and point out the various stages of depressive illness and help you adapt to each as they emerge. Good luck and although when you are depressed it is difficult to love things, try and love yourself and give thanks for a supporting partner, I could not have come through my problems without her.