For the past few weeks, my depression has reached an all time low but not to be worried as I am okay but just needed my space to try and sort through my emotions and such.
As some of you know I suffer from the worst kind of depression out there, brought on by medicine. This kind of depression is very hard to treat simply because, it's brought on by meds and not by the person themselves. Antidepressants have been known to make Medically Induced Depression (MID) worse, with the various thoughts of suicide and so on becoming stronger. So in the end, those of us who suffer from MID tend to have to work through it, without the added help of Antidepressants and other drugs simply because we value our lives.
About MID: MID is any form of Medically Induced Depression where the major side affect of a med is depression. It doesn't have to be first or second or even third on that list but it only has to be on the list for it's affects to be felt. Some people get it, others don't, which is why diagnosing and treating MID positive patents is so hard, because some can snap right out of it, and others can't. Those who can't tend to need the added support of their friends, family, coworkers and anyone else they trust to include into their support group. Others who can snap right out of it, tend to only need their friends and family and family doctor.
For me, being a person who suffers from MID tends to make life difficult, but here's where I am so much more different from others; I have a very large support group of friends and people I consider family from around the globe. I have friends even in the Middle East and as far away as Alaska (I even have a few in the Antarctic!) These are people I know I can open up too, because I've known them for well over 3yrs or more. We've video chatted when I've been at my worst, or simply opened up a video call and sat in the comfortable silence that is understanding friendship, where words simply weren't needed.
Worst Things to Say or Do to an MID Patient: Use them, mistreat them, or verbally abuse them with your own depression issues. While MID patients don't mind helping others, there's a limit to where and how far, we'll go to helping you out. MID is hard enough to deal with, we do not need nor want another person who is threatening to kill themselves, added onto our own problems. MID is very hard to deal with alone, but it's even harder when you have to deal with that, and someone else complaining how hard they have it when it reality they have it far, far easier then we do. Manic Depression is treatable with meds, MID is not. In fact an MID positive person is often discouraged strongly against using Antidepressants, simply because one of the side affects of an antidepressant is "thoughts of suicide may occur." So an MID positive patient tends to have to work through the wide range of their MID alone and without the aid of other drugs, simply because of that one, tiny factor. Some of the worst possible things to say to an MID patient is that you want to kill yourself. We have it bad enough trying to keep our own suicidal thoughts at bay we certainly don't need another persons thoughts added onto our own as it makes it worse. Saying you're going to kill yourself to an MID positive patient is simply cruel and should be avoided at any and all costs.
Also attempting to bring an MID patient down to your level of mentality is also the worst thing you could do. If you, yourself, is mentally unstable, where you honestly think you're going to kill yourself, don't go to an MID patient, go directly to your nearest medical clinic and or preferably, hospital. Remember, an MID patient has enough going on, they don't need your death on their consciousness.
Note: As of yesterday, Canada, passed an official law, stating that any citizen of Canada who witnessed someone saying they were going to hurt themselves or kill themselves, and did nothing, are held equally liable as if they had, they themselves, killed that person, should the person hold true to their word. By official law, we are now held liable for your safety should you come to a citizen threatening to harm yourself. We are held by the law to then call our local police and report the matter. This law's unofficial name is the Amber Todd Law.
How the Artist Copes with her MID: MID to me, is just like my ADHD, it's there, but I'm not going to let it bring me down. Some people whine at me saying they aren't as strong as me, yet they don't realize how many times I have been nearly successful at claiming my own life. I'm registered with the Canadian Suicide Watch which gives me a one on one hotline for myself with a nurse should I feel that urge rising up. Since my last attempt back in 09, just 3 shy years after my grandmother died, I have managed to deal with it by throwing myself into my artwork, and by simply talking to my friends and meditating. MID isn't easy to have, it's one of the most worst things I could of thought getting from a simple, 3 month injection, however, it's there, and it's not going away anytime soon. Being able to help others who suffer from lesser forms of depression has helped but I can only offer so much advice and stretch myself so thin, before I myself, snap and take a step back and simply let you have your own way. In any medical industry, be it human or animal there's a saying that rings loud and true;
"We can't save everyone that walks through those doors, but we can save some of them, at least, those who want the help and are willing to fight to get better."
Quick Facts.
When were you diagnosed with MID?
Back in 2009, just shortly after I slit my right wrist on the school bus.
How were you viewed as a person afterwards?
I was viewed as a freak but once my friends understood what was going on, they became very supportive.
What's your advice to other people who have depression?
Get help! Build up your support group but keep it in mind, that these people won't tolerate your bullshit. If you want their help, they'll give it to you. If you're just there to use them, then they'll walk away even if walking away is the hardest thing they have to do. Remember, their health comes before yours!
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