Kirsty Stegwazi

Invisible D.

Depression is something we can hide from all those near to us.

Secrecy, shame, denial, embarrassment, they are all parts of the illness.

We can fantasize about exiting this world and plan and withdraw and shut down while looking totally normal.

We lose people we love to these thoughts.

Depression is an illness.

It can be treated.

People can’t always tell if you are depressed (and vice versa), even if you feel like it’s really obvious it may not be from the outside. Really. It can be ten metal bands playing in your head and just plain old quiet to those around you.

This makes it all the more important to reach out to someone you trust, not just anyone, but someone who will actually listen. Here’s an interesting link to the RU OK? Website about how to ask someone if they are ok, but with some tweaking it would also help to work out how to tell someone you are not OK.

And you should. Let someone know. You might have forgotten that people love you.

Today we are posting the letter C.

I’m really enjoying the feedback we’ve had already about this project (thank you!). It’s very heartening and we seem to be getting a few people talking and thinking about depression and suicide prevention.

Facebook causes Depression?

When this project began and we posted our first letter onto our Facebook account I suddenly remembered a headline I’d read a while back, sensationally titled ‘Facebook causes depression’. Yes, I took the bait and read the article and discovered that is was really about the connection between depression and the human tendancy to compare ourselves to others on Facebook (or social media in general). This phenomenon is called ‘social comparison’. Being human is complex, isn’t it? Can social media help us connect and feel better about our ordinary lives? I say ‘yes’.

I’m glad that I’m not posting as if life is perfect. Life is gritty. Life is grimey. There’s great bits and there’s tough bits and we have to talk and learn how to help each other muddle along the winding way. Together.

And that’s what this project is all about.