Giving Voice to Depression

Depression is, to put it mildly, an unwanted guest in our minds and bodies. Yet, for those who experience it regularly, it can help to look for some value, some take-away, some "terrible gift" in the experience. Kristin "owns her shadow," and uses depression's voice to express herself in poetry. Hers is a gentle, allowing and unique perspective on an illness many of us simply despise.To learn more about Kristin and her poetry: KristinRoedell.wikidot.comhttps://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

Whether you love or loathe the holidays, they are demanding.At the very least, they demand energy and changes to our schedules.We're expected to engage socially. Or we may feel the weight of disengagement and loneliness.We are bombarded with a lot of "shoulds" from gift-buying to travel down to how we are supposed feel- happy, merry, and festive.And if the holidays come during depression or after a tough year that included it, they can be just. too. much.Today, licensed psychologist Dr. Anita Sanz offers some practical and fun tips for how to protect your mental health these next weeks. The Bingo Card idea offers a unique and amusing way to handle some of the season's challenging social situations. It's pure gold.https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

Depression convinces us we will always live in its darkness.For some, who experience depression chronically, that is a reality.Some days are better/lighter than others.But there's not a day when you wake and realize it was "an episode" and it has passed.This episode's guest, Didi Hairston, The Diva of Depression (on social media) lives in that dark place. She describes it as "hell."But she wants you to know you can function in hell, and that you are not alone there. This 20-min episode is a peek into Didi's hell.Didi's social media links:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_b-kjYo7HjBTgcYS9NuW9QFB: https://www.facebook.com/divawdepression/Twitter: https://twitter.com/divawdepIG: https://www.instagram.com/divawdep/https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

The thoughts we have and the words we chose not only define depression, but predict it. In this episode, we speak with a researcher who anaylyzes online mental health forums and other writing samples. Using computers to analyze the words, he finds a direct connection between "absolutist" words and depression, anxiety and suicide. It's good to know the words so we can recognize them in ourselves and others.www.independent.co.uk/life-style/hea…-a8194731.htmlhttps://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

There are people who, after having survived a difficult situation, will share their hard-earned knowledge with others in an effort to help.And there's JJ Singleton.He is still very much "in the thick of it," having just completed his 123rd round of chemo for "terminal, incurable" colorectal cancer. And from that place, he reached out to share a message of hope for other people with cancer and depression.He shares about his mental health journey, stigma (particularly for men,) the value of therapy and the power of distraction. It's an 18-minute episode that will remind you of the power of the human spirit.Link to Man Up to Cancer: https://www.manuptocancer.com/https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

In one of the most-practical episodes we've produced, we get into the weeds and look at how to keep yourself nourished, and your body and environment clean (enough)when you "just can't" because of depression. Emily Derecktor, founder of the free online resource Cereal for Dinner, knows first-hand that depression can be disabling. She has compiled evidence-based, doable, realistic goals for survival when tasks like a shower, meal prep and making your bed all seem just too much. If you have depression, this 25- minute episode will not only give provide some very-practical advice, but also the reminder that you are far from alone in your struggles with what were once basic tasks.If you do not have depression, listening will help you understand that depression is not just sadness that people can "soldier through."https://www.cerealfordinner.org/https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

Depression is a thief. It steals our vitality, our sense of connection and worth. Our dreams. And sometimes our very will to live.This week's guest, Emily Derecktor knows losses. She worked hard to do well in school, get into top universities and earn admittance to medical school. And then depression stole that opportunity. For now, anyways. In this episode Emily shares about her mental health journey, and the range of ways depression can impact us, and derail our dreams.Next week Emily will share about a fabulous resource she's created for others with depression. In one of the most-practical episodes we've produced, we'll talk about hygiene, cooking and cleaning when depression makes even basic living skills too much.https://www.cerealfordinner.org/https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

A single conversation can change the course of your life.A single person stepping in to say "You are not yourself. I am worried about you. I'm afraid you're planning to kill yourself. Are you suicidal?" can change the course of your life and recovery.That's the story Chloe shares in this 25-minute episode.Suicide Prevention Awareness Month might be over, but the need to tune in, step in and care most certainly is not.https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please have them (or you) take 15 minutes to listen to Ken's story. It is a rare opportunity to speak with someone who survives an attempt, especially one from the Golden Gate Bridge, who can tell you they had instant regret when they started to fall, that all the things that seemed unsolvable in life suddenly didn't anymore, and that in the water below they begged for rescue and life. It is powerful and it is real.https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

CW: If our goal is to "prevent suicide," it might help to understand what kind of thoughts a suicidal person is having. In an intimate and revealing conversation, we ask Ken Baldwin, one of the few survivors of an attempt from the Golden Gate Bridge, to tell us what was going through his mind when he headed there to end his life. It's a conversation we'd only have with someone who has had a lot of time to process his attempt and who is in a much healthier and stable place, which Ken is. He freely tells his story in an effort to let us know that even the things in our lives that feel irreparable and hopeless may look very different when viewed through healthier lenses.https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/