Have you ever been sick, gone to the doctor, been diagnosed with illness, received counseling and medication, and gotten better or recovered? Of course you have.
Second question: Have you ever been depressed, thought of doing harm to yourself, gone (or not gone) to a doctor or therapist, received counseling, and gotten better?
As a career pharmacist, I spent a lifetime helping treat patients with different illnesses. I understood how openly we could discuss physical sickness. We all casually admit to the flu, allergies, asthma.
But you rarely hear someone say they have a mental illness. Depression, anxiety, and panic attacks are not a sign of weakness. They are signs of having to remain strong for way too long.
From serving on the Spirit in the Hills Mental Health Committee, I’ve learned 1 in 5 Americans are impacted by mental illness, so it’s a common illness.
My work on the committee also emphasized that mental health conditions are treatable brain-based disorders, not character flaws or personality failings. Our training has also taught us that treatment success rates for mental health recovery are similar to other health issues. The good news is people experiencing a mental illness, can achieve health and wellness at the same rate as those treated for physical ailments.
We’ve also learned that talking to a friend or family member about mental health doesn’t have to be awkward or intrusive–you’re showing that you care about each other’s wellbeing. That can be life-changing.
Twice I have recovered from clinical depression thanks to friends. The first time occurred after the death of my partner. A friend simply kept me company for months when I couldn’t even speak. Eventually his patience and the healing hand of time allowed me to break the silence.
The second time another good friend suggested professional counseling and offered a life-saving referral. As a result, I now have a journal full of notes on how God loves me. It includes letters I imagined God writing to me, and some very intentional talks from me to God. Some would call this written prayer.
It is also the process my Christian counselor Juliana O’Brien uses. She treated my clinical depression during the period of time I fought and won the lawsuit that threatened to take away my home and life savings.
She also recommended a daily devotional book by Joyce Rupp called The Open Door. After a year of following these practices, guided weekly by her helpful insights, those dark places of depression lifted.
I tell my story so others may also find the help they need without shame, and so they may more fully experience and trust God’s love. Help is available. Just ask me.--By Dick Davis as told to Becky Rische