Posted by Karen_kay on January 4, 2004, at 18:19:24
In reply to Is this supportive?, posted by Susan J on January 4, 2004, at 14:22:25
There are still people who don't suffer with depression and don't understand that you can't just excercise and eat your way out of it. Worst of all, those people happen to have family members who suffer with depression. Luckily, I am blessed with a caring family. A family who I call at all hours of the night to tell them they need to be put on Lithium, or whichever drug I am taking at the moment. A family that I call and say they need to enter therapy, to be better parents, sisters, aunts, grandparents to me. I shudder to think of the other phone calls I've made that I don't recall at this point. But I'm working on better communication skills. That, or a ball gag. You could always send this post to your family and say, "See, at least I'm not like her!" (Just trying to put things in perspective and maybe cheer you up a bit :)
You have every right to discuss what aspects of your health you want to with your family. If you feel that they are not being supportive (and I agree that they are not) then by all means it is better not to discuss it then to stop talking alltogether. Obviously they do not suffer, or have never in the past, with depression. You do. And you are doing the right thing to correct the problem. But, it doesn't help matters if the conversation just upsets you by discussing it with them. So, just don't discuss it with them. Do you have other means of support? Do you have friends to speak with? You have babble to post to.
I don't think what you did was wrong in any way. Why cause conflict or anger when there is no need? I'm lucky, my whole family is open to suggestions. They don't mind that I'm on meds. They're just happy that I'm not manic anymore. Now that caused some conflict!
poster:Karen_kay
thread:296387
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20031229/msgs/296455.html