This is the second in a series of three blogs on depression.
I was an A student but my grades were slipping and my teachers started losing patience with me. Yet, not one of them approached me to ask whether there was anything wrong. My parents had never come in contact with this kind of problem and didn’t know what kind of advice to give me. Nothing was going right. Even my relationships with friends were suffering. My family were annoyed and impatient instead of showing empathy. I tried so hard to overcome the dark feeling that was enveloping me, without success. I wanted to speak to our school counselor but I’d heard from other students that she was far from helpful and was not the right person for the job. She failed to make students feel at ease in her presence. I didn’t know what to do. I was so afraid of having to take medication! So, I took a brave decision and sent what I had written above to friends on whatsapp and this was one of the replies received.
Reaching out for help is a positive step and I know how you must be feeling because the same thing happened to me a year ago but, I did not speak out about it then. I became anti-social, my grades slipped badly and all I ever wanted to do was to creep under my blankets and sleep. I cried a lot but was never sure what had caused me to weep. I think you should see a therapist or your doctor and share your feelings but remember not to hide anything. If you are honest, someone might be able to help. It is also a good idea to tell your friends as well as your class teacher how you are feeling. You will probably feel apprehensive about coming out with this into the open. That’s because of the stigma associated with depression and other mental illnesses. But, IF you speak out, nobody will be able to say anything nasty behind your back that you have not already said about yourself. On the positive side, I can tell you that ‘life goes on’ and your life will change for the better sooner than you realize. Thinking of you, xxxx, B.
