Ako rin, I am a depressive. Childhood depression sabi ng psychiatrist. Madami kasi nangyari during childhood na nag-cause ng trauma and other psychological effects. Pero pag tignan ako, hindi mo malalaman na may experiences ako na ganun. I'm the type of person kasi who doesn't dwell on problems. Pero it shows pag sinusumpong ako ng depression. Hindi ako makausap, hindi ako gumagalaw, hindi ako kumakain. It can last for days.
Nung student ako, there was a time when I didn't go to school for almost a month. Pinalabas na lang na nagkasakit ako. During my last year of highschool, muntikan ako hindi maka-graduate dahil sa absences. Ganun na naman. Hindi ako makausap, hindi ako gumagalaw. Hindi ako nakakaramdam ng gutom. As in wala.
After a few years, on-off yung moments. The duration decreased but it's still there. Every month may episode. Then when I wanted to resign from my job of 5 years (dahil gusto ko lang mag-resign at ayaw ko na ng lahat), my boss advised me to go to a psychiatrist. Lo and behold, ang diagnosis nya is manic-depressive daw ako. Hindi ko lang daw napapansin ang manic episodes dahil akala ko normal yun. Pero hindi daw. (I almost became an alcoholic dahil sa mania, but that's off-topic and not related to depression.)
My boss wasn't surprised when I told her. She told me I reminded her of her sister, who was also a bipolar.
Anyway, I had to take lots of medications. I also did researches regarding depression lalo na kapag manic ako. Yun kasi yung time na ang dami ko gusto gawin pero feeling ko kulang ang oras. I helped myself. I tried every self-help for depressives. Eating healthy, going out for early morning sunlight, avoiding alcoholic drinks, hitting the sack early, surrounding myself with positive people, even volunteering to take care of pets (kasi pets daw can make you feel loved and special).
By the way, every after depressive episode, hindi ko maalala ano emotion ko while I was depressed. Wala. Para lang akong nasa black hole. Wala maalala. Parang wala nangyari. Sinasabi lang ng family ko na lagi nila ko kinakausap and all.
Now, I'm off the meds. Every time I feel a depressive episode coming, I get up and force myself to be brave and face the challenges of life (bago pa ko malunod sa black hole). It's normal to feel blue once in a while. What's not is to stay depressed and give up on life. Sabi nga ng iba: Hindi naman tayo bibigyan ng problema na hindi natin kaya. Kaya dapat laging matatag at meron faith na hindi tayo pababayaan.
