There are two people I know who reached out to me because they are currently experiencing depression.And to preserve their anonymity, I would just refer to them as friend1 and friend2…And wouldn’t specifically mention their gender.I am sure that the reason why they connected with me is because I’ve been through the same thing.(Stories about my depression can be found on this post and this post.)Friend1 asked me who my doctor was, how often one should go for therapy, and the side effects of the medications.While friend2 opened up to me the symptoms s/he is experiencing…And that s/he is already undergoing therapy and taking anti-depressants.So I gave friend1 all the information that s/he needed…While I told friend2 that I was proud of him/her for seeking help…Advised him/her not to rush the healing process…And reassured him/her that s/he could message me if s/he needed someone to talk to.
God has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. – Isaiah 50:4
I clearly remember how my experience having depression was…The symptoms that made me unproductive, which caused a major hassle to other people…How those symptoms drastically affected my performance in school…How I did my best to keep it from people other than my family for fear of being judged…How I pretended to be happy and carefree so they wouldn’t notice…And then how I felt tired of hiding and pretending that I was okay…And how that encouraged me to finally open up to everyone…Thinking that if I will be judged, I’ll feel hurt only at that moment and then I can move on…Instead of keep everything to myself and suffer my whole life…But that I was somehow unprepared for some questions and unsolicited advice like…“Why did you get depressed? You always look so happy!”“You shouldn’t be depressed. You should be strong!”Because I find them challenging, especially if the other person speaking has never really been in my shoes.I couldn’t help but ask questions like why it had to happen to me…And of all people, why me?
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. – Proverbs 3:5
But as they say…“Everything happens for a reason.”And I just had to keep the faith that someday, God will give me the answers…Even if at that moment, I could barely comprehend what the purpose of all those trials were.So I did.
At present, as people confide in me and I am somehow able to give them comfort because I’ve been through the same experiences…
I think I am beginning to understand the reason why. :-)
Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD Himself, is the Rock eternal. – Isaiah 26:4
