Robin Williams

When Robin Williams committed suicide, it was a shock to the world. Those of us who grew up watching him were in awe of his amazing talent and wit. When I heard the news of his suicide, it validated the fact that NO ONE truly knows what is going on in someone's head!!!  Many people probably thought 'he is rich and famous and has it all'. That is one of the main points of depression; you can have it all or have it better than others, but 'the disease of depression' takes over and doesn't let us be happy about anything.  One of my main reasons for this blog is to make sure I can get the message out to others I don't want anyone to feel as alone as I did!  I came across the quote by Robin Williams below and thought it is very fitting for many of us who are or have gone through depression!!!

"I think the saddest people always try their hardest to make people happy because they know what it's like to feel absolutely worthless and they don't want anyone else to feel like that". Robin Williams

Snap out of it?!

Has anyone ever told you that?  "Snap out of it.  Put on your big girl/big boy panties and get on with it!  Suck it up."  I don't know about you, but those comments made me angry and feel worse about myself because I couldn't do it.  I tried.  I tried so many times just to make myself get out of bed, but I couldn't.  The days I could get out of bed, my depression was still there and it came out in other destructive ways.  What so many people, especially those who have never been through depression, don't understand is sometimes you don't have control over your feelings.  If you are severely depressed, you need medication to help you get through it.  You see, within our brain there are chemical messengers called neurotransmitters.  When they are healthy, we function well.  However, if we lack one of those 'messengers', it can cause depression.  Therefore, we need medication to get our chemical messengers back in line.  Have you ever told someone with diabetes, heart disease, or cancer, just to snap out of it?  Of course not.  Even if we did, it wouldn't work.  Our brain is no different than any other organ in our body.  Our brain is an organ too.  So if people take medication for diabetes or heart disease, why is it so different to take medication for depression?  THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE!  Do not be ashamed to ask for help.  If you don't want people to know you're depressed and/or on medication that's fine, but you deserve to take care of yourself!!!!!  God put physicians in this world to help us!  God wants to help us!  You are worth taking care of yourself!!!!

Beginning our walk!

As I was looking at this picture, it reminds me of how I felt at times walking through various periods of depression in my life.  Sometimes things were so bad (the walk seemed too steep); I just wanted to jump in the water and say "forget it; this is too hard".  Sometimes I could see to the other side; it was flat and more stable.  I thought if I could just take a leap of faith, the "walk" would be a little easier.

Whether you are the person going through depression and/or having thoughts of suicide OR you are the friend or loved one watching someone go through these times, I want you to know YOU ARE NOT ALONE!  This disease, and yes it is an actual disease, causes us to believe we are the only one it is happening to and no one would understand.  But so many people care about you!!! I named my blog Walkinitthru because it is what we have to do.  If we can only take 1 step (figuratively) a day, that's better than none at all.  Just like in the movie Finding Nemo, Dora said "Just keep swimming", I'm encouraging you to just keep walking.  Walk it thru!  You will make it!  Don't give up!  Life is hard, but life can get better! My desire for this blog is to provide encouragement, tips on how to get through things, stories of my personal walk, and hopefully some laughter along the way.