A THIRD WAY FOR LEAVING THE PRISON OF DEPRESSION.
“We trust others by sharing our recent episodes of loss/sadness while at the same time sharing our hopes and strengths. We trust our newfound positive beliefs for getting ourselves out of the prison of depression.”
“Thank goodness, people can now go to a group and find help–namely, the Depressed Anonymous mutual aid group. (A Home Self Study kit is also available. See literature at this site). If I were a physician, I would administer some paper and pencil instrument which would give a reliable and valid impression of whether a person is depressing themselves or not. Also somewhere in every primary care physician’s office there needs to be statements/brochures about the signs and symptoms of depression. We agree with Lipowski who tells us that “some patients need to be identified early, to try to prevent chronicity. It is important not to treat only their depression symptoms but also to offer them psychosocial intervention, emotional support and education.”
” Persons need to be educated about depression and that one is not losing their mind when the symptoms of depression begin to take over their lives. Their own depression experience and the symptoms that comprise it may enable them to seek help faster. They may be relieved to know what it is that is happening to them. I believe a doctor or nurse practitioner would be more than happy to help de-stigmatize such a common and universal problem as depression or as some have called it in an earlier time, melancholia. In time and with our own advocacy as a mutual aid fellowship we will help make it OK to say “I think I am depressed!” We hope by that fact to help de-stigmatize the common and natural response to loss. Remember to admit you’re depressed is the first step in recovery and the first step in getting yourself undepressed.”
The quotes listed above are excerpts from the THIRD WAY chapter.
SOURCE: BELIEVING IS SEEING: 15 ways to leave the prison of depression. (2017). Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville. Pages 17-19.
THE HOME SELF STUDY KIT is comprised of the manual DEPRESSED ANONYMOUS (2011) 3rd edition and THE DEPRESSED ANONYMOUS WORKBOOK(2011). VISIT THE STORE FOR MORE INFO.