A lot of judgement occurs with depression. People make comments like:” Don’t dwell on the past and you’ll get better; You are just being lazy; Get up and things will improve; Think positive thoughts and you will be happy; Believe in God and be a good Christian, and your depression will disappear.” All these things can help to a certain degree, but it is also true that people need to accept their feelings and work through past traumas , losses, betrayals, and come to the

realization it will take time; acceptance of thoughts and feelings about the past and the present; learning more effective ways to deal with stress and shame, live a healthier life style, improve social skills, build a support system to use in difficult times, and explore their spirituality. That’s a big job that would be hard for any one  to accomplish.

It takes a lot of energy to do all the things needed to treat depression. Some people benefit by taking medication that helps them get over the hump in depression. Those who have been depressed know what I mean. All of this takes money, time, willingness to be in therapy, hard work with a doctor regarding medication, and seeking help for spiritual guidance. It is not an easy road to travel if you have depression.

We all have things we struggle with in our lives. But most of the time we’ve had a good foundation, and we knew we were loved. We had the finances and resources to help us get what we needed in order to get well. We were not victims of child abuse or domestic violence. We had a support system to help us when times were difficult.

We need to remember that others did not. They need our support and help, not judgement. Many that are depressed are heroes. They are out there struggling to survive and find hope. They fight problems we know little about. It is important to remember not to judge others unless we have walked awhile in their footsteps. They deserve our compassion, respect, and understanding. In my next post, I will share a poem about someone who had depression and what it was like for him.

Yu/stan/kema