Words of Encouragement: Hope for Damaged Relationships
Sometimes I’m inspired to write something but I don’t have a computer with me nor do I feel like writing an entire blog post. Still, it’s like I have to get this thought out of my mind and onto “paper” because it escapes. I’ve been posting these random messages of truth and encouragement on my Instagram account so I thought I would post them here as well. I sincerely hope they fill you with encouragement. For this series, I’m calling these Words of Encouragement.
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One of the things we never talk about with mental illness are the relationships that are damaged before a diagnosis happens. While I wasn’t diagnosed with depression until I had my son nine years ago, I’m fairly certain I’ve been struggling with depression since puberty.
I look back on some of my relationships during college and afterwards and I know I severely damaged them. It’s not an excuse for meanness or trying to emotionally manipulate someone into doing what I wanted but it explains so much.
It’s hard to be the person the boundary has to be placed on. It’s necessary though for anyone to protect themselves from a toxic person. It just sucks to think about how you were the toxic person they needed protection from.
Mental illness, depression in my case, is a disease the same way asthma is a disease. I take medication to manage my asthma. I take medication to manage my depression. They are both vital to my well being. Sometimes people asd me if I want to get off of my antidepressants and I say, “No, because I’m not safe to be around when I’m off of them.” I would rather take something for the rest of my life and feel evenly balanced like I do now than try to fight for balance with medication.
If you feel like something’s off, if life is just too hard and it’s always everyone else’s fault, please think about talking with someone. Life doesn’t have to be so hard.
Help for Depression
Help for Depression: Treatment Options
National Suicide Prevention Hotline
Get Help with Depression – American Psychiatric Association