I felt ashamed of the illness as I’d had such an amazing childhood – what did I have to be depressed about?! I also felt frightened, frightened that people would treat me differently and frightened that from here on in, I’d always be defined as ‘someone with depression’. The fear I felt was tangible.
It is fair to say that mostly my fears were unfounded. Being open about it all meant that I had a new found freedom. I could be honest. All those little excuses I’d made in the past to try to explain away my behaviour, were now a thing of the past.
Yes, there were some who questioned it. ‘How do YOU have depression? You’re so bubbly and outgoing.’ Along with ‘I don’t believe you have depression, you achieve so much.’
I may have seemed bubbly and outgoing on the days I actually got dressed and made it out of the house. But it was an act and it was exhausting.
read the rest here. Part of Mental Health and Politics Week at Total Politics. Roughly one in every 5 people you meet today will have had, or currently has, struggles with depression. Can you guess which ones? Would they feel they could tell you?
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