Depressed Dykes

» pentimento - Getting out of bed when the storm hits.

Debra,

This is a great article. Short, sweet and to the point and chock full of information to boot.

And of course I'm moved because I read between the lines that seem so close together, but that I know have been so far apart, about how hard it has been for you, how hard it is when you/we are - or to own it, I am, depressed. I'm really glad that you're sister was there for you. It just hit me again how something so small can help so much.

regina sewell

-- posted by pentimento

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» Quidam - Lesbians and mental health

This is interesting. I've been involved in a few dicussions on lesbian message boards about whether we are more prone to mental health issues, in particular self-harm and eating disorders. I suggested that we have more problems with self-identity, and obviously coming-out issues which make us more susceptible. Coupled with the fact that these problems are more common in women.

Personally, I have had the lot - depression, self-harm, anorexia, and bulimia. My dperession has little to do with being gay; I have been a sufferer since I was 12 and I believe it has a biological basis. Eating disorders, on the other hand, I feel were a by-product of my chronic relapsing depression, but also to do with uncertainty about my identity and unhappiness with "who" I was. I don't think it is a coincidence that when I began to accept I was gay and came out, my eating disorders pretty much went away. I found I could look in the mirror and be happy with the person looking back at me. For a brief period I thought that it was the answer to all my problems. But after the initial high of coming out had worn off, I relapsed once again into severe depression.

-- posted by Quidam

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» dlstang - Re: Lesbians and mental health

In response to message posted by Quidam:

Hi Quidam and thanks for dropping by and sharing your story. You don't mention how you're doing now, but I hope things are going well for you!

I think you raise an excellent point that uncertainty about who we are--often coupled with a non-accepting society--makes us more vulnerable to certain problems.

I, too, think my tendency to get seriously depressed is biological and independent of my sexual orientation. But I also know that when my depression is not well-controlled, I'm super vulnerable to stress, and being subjected to homophobia can sometimes be the straw that breaks the camel's back so to speak.

Thanks again for your comment. Hope you visit Lesbian Issues again soon!

-- posted by dlstang

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