NAMI Blog

"With Herbie, I love people. I love their smiles and their questions. He’s good for me, for others and for my depression."

When it comes to Depression, “Why do you feel this way?” is not the important question. The important question is: “What can I do to support you?” 

Many expectant mothers imagine motherhood will be fulfilling and uplifting. But when the baby is born, they may not feel that way at all.

"The stigma felt especially daunting in the context of my profession: Pastors are supposed to be paradigms of perfection, to be endowed with the sort of faith that keeps them immune from something like mental illness."

"Fast-forward six years: I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. It was six years of feeling completely alone. Six years of feeling like I was the only person that felt the way I did. Six years of feeling helpless."

Some estimates show that 60% of those with anxiety will also have symptoms of depression, and the numbers are similar for those with depression also experiencing anxiety.

While someone with major depressive disorder will typically “cycle” through episodes of feeling severely depressed and then be symptom-free for periods of time, dysthymia presents with persistent symptoms for years.

The relationship between sleep and mental illness, specifically depression, is complicated. But everyone experiencing depression should work to improve and regulate their sleep because there are only benefits to be had.

Living with mental illness this time of year can be particularly difficult. There’s a lot of pressure to “start over” or “begin again” or revamp how you live your entire life. But this stigmatizing thought process is not only unhelpful, it’s actually harmful to mental health recovery. 

Should we seek mental health care from primary care physicians?