There have been times over the years that I have been depressed for periods of time. When I became divorced this last time I remember leaving our home after we had finished loading the moving truck. As we started backing out of the driveway I began to cry. My son, who at the time was nine, also began to cry. I tried to regain my composure and asked him if he was okay. He wasn't crying because we were leaving-he was crying because he had never seen me cry and it upset him.
I have friends and family members that have went through periods of depression. It has become one of the leading mental disorders affecting over 340 million people each year. As single parents, we are particularly susceptible. Think about it. For most of us our days never end, we just finally have to stop. Days when you come home from work exhausted knowing another shift is just starting. There are meals to prepare, homework to check, baths to take, clothes to wash, dishes to clean, etc... Doesn't leave much "me" time in there.
So how do we do it day after day and not lose it? And if we start losing it how do we get back on track?
Let me say first that I am not an authority on depression and certainly won't try and pass myself off here as an expert. What I am is one of you, a single parent, who is raising and loving four children as best I can one day at a time. I share with you some insight into what has helped me over the years and strongly urge you to seek professional help if you need it. Depression knows no social or economic classes. It can affect anyone. Almost half of all cases go unrecognized and untreated. This is unfortunate because depression is one of most easily treatable mental illnesses.
First, you are not alone. If you are reading this online there is a whole world of people available to be your support group. One of my character traits that I have battled over the years is the desire to withdraw from everyone around me when I am depressed or troubled about something. It's like I have this it's me against the world attitude and I'll refuse to let people get close to me, even the ones I care about the most. But once I get past this and start letting people in I find that the problem contributing to my depression is actually pretty common. I don't care what you are going through I guarantee you that someone else is going through the same situation. So open up, it helps to talk to people.
