Depression and Suicide - My Story

When you meet me in person, your first impression is most likely that I am the most overly enthusiastic person you have ever met. My husband, who does indeed love me, has a hard time with this side of my personality. It is not uncommon for him to quoteCrush from Finding Nemo when I begin to get overly excited about something, “Cool the engines, Dude.” But I have not always been this way. Seventeen years ago, I battled depression and experienced suicidal thoughts. We both worried that that was a time I would not survive.

Not only did I survive it but today I lead a life I had never imagined for myself. I have an incredible family, a job I love and friends galore. I love my life. But there is a dark spot in our lives right now.

Today, I live in a community that is plagued by depression and suicide. In the past year alone we have lost five members of our community to suicide. I am confronted daily by parents whose children are suffering with clinical depression. We are in a crisis situation and as a parent I feel helpless. So today I am doing the only thing I know how to do. I am moving forward one step at a time. I am working towards change.

I am starting this journey by sharing my story in the video below, sharing some information I have learned about depression and suicide that I hope might help others and finally, by raising money for the Walk Out Of The Darkness in June of this year. I will be completing the 16-17 mile over night walk in memory of all of those members of our community who we have lost to this illness and I ask that my friends, family and readers please make a donation to this cause and share this post with family and friends so they might join us in this battle.

Depression is an illness. We donate to cancer, AIDS, Autism, heart disease and countless others. We talk about all of these illnesses but depression and mental illness remain in the dark. Let’s bring it out of the darkness. Let’s move forward into the light. Let’s make a difference.