Imagine

Imagine waking up in the morning and being physically unable to get out of bed, and you may not even know why.

Imagine feeling so disconnected from the world that you honestly believe you may as well not be in it any longer.

Imagine what it would be like to be so enraged that you fear for the safety of those around you and you do not know why you are mad.

Imagine feeling like no one loves you, not even yourself. Especially yourself.

Imagine what it would be like to feel so much like a failure that you are unable to go to work. Then once you've stayed home, you feel even worse for giving up or letting people down.

Imagine your job is mothering and you can`t stay home from it, but you are hating being with your children all day.

Imagine crying all day and not being able to express why you are sad.

Imagine feeling intensely sad, but unable to produce any tears.

Imagine having a panic attack in the grocery store line-up- every time you went to the store.

Imagine losing your keys, your phone or your wallet, forgetting to lock the car door (and the house), forgetting to eat, forgetting to make appointments, and you cannot concentrate on ANYTHING. Like you didn't feel terrible enough already.

Imagine watching yourself yell at your husband for no reason and not being able to stop yourself. 

Imagine wanting to take an all inclusive holiday away from your family and your life and then feeling guilty because you might actually do it.

Imagine feeling as though there is a glass wall between you and the rest of the world.

Imagine feeling so unlike yourself that you cease to function the way you used to.

Imagine feeling like a grey dot on a black piece of paper. 

Imagine saying nasty, spiteful things to everyone you love the most, and not wanting to be sorry.

Imagine feeling a deep sense of grief- as though your dearest friend just died, but no one has passed away.

These are some of the intense feeling, thoughts and emotions that persons afflicted with depression experience. These statements are not in and of themselves indicators of depression: they are individual feelings, thoughts and emotions. Also, persons with depression do not experience all of the above statements- they are merely a demonstration of what it may be like for them.

Depression is a disease, like diabetes is a disease, or malaria is a disease. It is diagnosable, and more importantly, treatable. There are many kinds of depression, and many factors that cause depression but at it`s root, it is a chemical imbalance in the brain.

One kind of depression, Postpartum Depression, is the NUMBER ONE complication associated with childbirth. Postpartum Depression may start during pregnancy (in this case it`s called Antenatal Depression), shortly after childbirth or even up to several months after delivery. It is estimated that ONE IN SEVEN women will suffer from PPD. I don`t know about you but I sure know six other moms. And I only know one who has been diagnosed and is fighting through her PPD. She is a warrior mom and she has been through a lot. To read the inspirational story of my sister, Robin, click here: more than words.