I am thrilled to announce that I have been invited to be a regular contributing blog writer on Psychology Today! This will be in addition to my blog posting here on my own website. Please feel welcome to visit me at Psychology Today and send along your thoughts, ideas and questions on depression. You can find it on their website www.psychologytoday.com. My first blog posting is provided for you below.
Hello and welcome to my new blog on Psychology Today, which is called View From the Mist: Living Through Depression. I am honored and excited to be invited to have a voice here, and thank you in advance for your focus and attention. I know that does not come easily. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Susan, a person who has struggled with depression for a very long time, which went untreated for most of my life. I’m also the author of two books on managing depression, with a companion website and blog; a physician; and a Certified Peer Specialist. I bridge that space between recipient and provider of health care services, so I speak with personal experience from several different perspectives. Having been in the depths of depression, I understand what information is most helpful to manage the illness and how it is best received. I also know what approaches do not help or turn out to make things worse. I’m pretty familiar with being in the position of trying to keep my head above water, only to hear from family or friends “Quit being so mopey” or “snap out of it! As if that were so easy to do!
Along the way I have come to understand the impact of depression on one’s life, how it can change your plans and cause you to pause or take a path in life you might not have otherwise chosen. Episodes of depression seemed to strike me at the worst moments – big exams in school, major decisions, social occasions, relationships, with a negative impact on things that matter in life. I have also experienced firsthand how family and friends react to this illness, even intelligent, well meaning, loving people, and how they can change their perspective over time. Somehow I persevered.
My new blog will be a place for thoughts, reflection, and sharing information on depression. I use the title “View From the Mist” to indicate the position we often find ourselves in when depressed: a dark, down, gray mood with an inability to think clearly and see things sharply, as if trying to look through the mist on a dreary, foggy day. That’s how depression can affect our view of ourselves and the world. While depression does that to our thinking, it’s a temporary symptom of the illness and thankfully not permanent.
View From the Mist will contain lots of topics related to depression, thoughts on living with it and through it, ideas on how to best manage the illness, the basics of mental health, and the stressors in life that can make us more vulnerable to depression. There will also be useful information for the family and close friends of someone who has depression: words to say and things to do or not do. And as they come up I will comment on appropriate articles or current events on depression in the news. Although I cannot address the specifics of an individual situation, you will have the chance to ask me questions on depression and send me your ideas or topics that you would like to see discussed.
I really look forward to hearing from you and exchanging our experiences and ideas!
I hope that you enjoy reading my blog and invite you to come visit often.
Stay well!
this blog was originally posted on www.psychologytoday.com/blog/view-the-mist
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