Dealing With Depression
Depending on the severity of the case, a patient's recovery is unlikely to be quick: sometimes it takes years. For those sharing their lives it can seem interminable. There will be more downs than ups, and it is important that all are handled correctly and quietly, encouraging them out of their negative phases, helping them to enjoy the brief respite of the occasional pleasant episode. There may be times, in particular for those with a bi-polar condition, when they will appear to be deliriously happy; then, for no apparent reason, they will instantly plunge back into depression, often deeper than before. Because these displays of opposites are so extreme, they can take a carer by surprise and it will be difficult to react as if nothing is wrong; but it has to be done, otherwise the patient will read more into it than is actually there. To them, it could confirm what they believe they already know - that they are seen as unpredictable oddballs who need locking up before they do something really crazy!
Depression rarely just happens. It is extremely important for anyone dealing with a sufferer to understand that the illness has its roots in past experiences, events they may have shared, others of which they know nothing. Discovering some of these by chance is fine, and knowledge of them may be of help to the current specialist; but for an unqualified individual to push the patient for more information is to walk on thin ice. My best advice is to leave the in-depth treatment to the professionals. Despite one of my opening comments, they really do know what they are doing; but they need help on the outside. After all, they may only see a patient briefly, perhaps for a half-hour session once in a week or a month. We, on the other hand, can be with them 24/7. I say "we" because my wife and I have not only been there: we are still there and are very aware that it is far from over. Our Granddaughter is on the mend, but still has a long way to go. We intend being there with her, for her, every step of the way. Anything less is simply not on.
An article as short as this cannot even scratch the surface. It is merely a plea to take depression very seriously. To be lucky not to suffer from it is to be fortunate indeed; to pass it off as an inconvenience in our busy lives is to condemn friends and loved ones to an eternity of torment that we could never imagine, not even in our worst nightmares. These people need our understanding and the best care we can possibly give. Surely they deserve that much? And if we hope for any reward for our efforts, let it be found in the peace of a simple smile, a grateful acknowledgment that they are, at long last, returning to us.
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Where every effort has been made to be accurate and fair-minded, comments and opinions expressed on this website are based on personal experience and do not necessarily reflect the views of the wider community or those groups and institutions mentioned. A Season of Happiness and its staff accept no responsibility for any outcome based on suggestions offered. What works for us may not work for you. Please bear this in mind.
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