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Who do you tell...?

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1044

KittyKat, I know it took me a while to tell my son what was going on; he was away at college and I "faked" it when he was around. It was not hard for others to see my condition as I had to retire due to my depression. However, it was a great decision to tell my son; I was well enough it was harder to see. I hope you will continue to get the support and love that is as you mentioned already there. I am glad you decided to share with them and with us that you are going to share with them. lol, that made alot of sense. Keep us posted.

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 224

Good job on your decision KittyKat,

When do you plan on telling them? I think using the diagnostic test is a great conversation starter. It's normal to feel nervous and normal. I would suggest thinking ahead of what you want to say and how you want to say it.

Let us know how it goes.

Luciana, Bilingual Health Educator

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 113

Well, I think working through the program has really helped me to get the courage to talk to my family. I feel more equipped than before. I'm going to tell my mom and my sister. They have always been there for me. I'm probably going to print out the diagnostic tests and share the result with them as a conversation starter...and mention this site and how helpful it has been.

Even though I'm scared and nervous I have a feeling it will turn out.

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2606

Hi kittykat,

Welcome to our online support community and thank you for sharing your experience with us. You have come to the right place to receive knowledge and support. Go through the online program, here you will learn a lot about what you are experiencing and what you can do to help. There are also sections on family and relationships. You can post here as much as you need to, and of course read through the forums. You can search messages in the forums, many topics you may be curious about have likely been discussed at one point or another. You have already received some really great support and tips from fellow members, be sure to check in soon.

Members, what have your experiences been with communicating with your family and friends about depression? How did you go about doing this? How did this make you feel?

Samantha, Health Educator

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 3043

Hi kittykat and welcome.

Everyone here probably has a different story on this issue, but here's mine:

It was about a year and a half ago that I realised I had a depression problem. I've always been kind of moody and odd, so I didn't think my family had noticed much. I spoke to my doctor first, then my partner, then my employer. My employers fixed me up with counselling (they are a good employer). I spoke to my children when things had got so bad that the doctor signed me off work for two weeks. There was no more hiding it, and I found my children had noticed something wrong, and were relieved when I explained about depression. They had been worried that I was seriously ill in some other way. Also gathered my courage and told my parents and the rest of my family. The responses and support I got were all positive, which surprised me. Perhaps I was lucky, but I found it beneficial to speak to people. If nothing else, it is reassuring for loved ones to know just what is wrong.

That's my experience, anyway, but I found I did not need the extra stress of hiding my condition.

Take care of yourself and keep posting. Or just keep reading if that's more comfortable. This is a non-judgemental place where you'll find great support.

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 121

Welcome KittyKat. I'm glad you finally found the courage to post. This is a very friendly, supportive place and the more you post, the easier it becomes. I'm somewhat of a newbie myself.

Do you think that you would feel comfortable talking to your family first? I've found that my family has been very suppoortive of me even though they don't live nearby. Whenever I'm feeling depressed or anxious, I know I can reach at least one of them on the phone at any given time. In fact, sometimes I feel more comfortable talking to people over the phone than face-to-face, because I, too, am a bit shy. After you've talked to a few members of your family about your depression, you might find it easier to talk to a close friend or two. You'll be surprised by how supportive your family and friends will be. I have not found anyone in my inner circle to be judgemental or uncaring.

Good luck and again, welcome to this site. I hope to see you post here more often. You'll find this a great place to come to and you'll meet many supportive "cyber" friends here.

Rebbie

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 113

Hi all, I am new here, have been lurking in the bckground and have just found the courage to post. I am a bit timid and it may take me a little bit of time to become an active poster, but I do like to read your stories / follow what each of you has to say.

I have a question that has been on mind for days and did not know who to ask. I know I have a depression problem, I am umotivated, sleep too little or too much, don't have many optimistic thoughts about the future. My family and friends do not know, but I think they may be getting suspicious since I am not who I used to be.

I want to tell someone, but not sure who or how...any advice is appreciated.

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