My sophomore year of college I began to lose interest in a lot of things. I didn't feel like going to classes I loved or to organization meetings that meant the world to me. I felt lethargic and lost my appetite and ability to sleep. So I went to my family doctor and he asked me a series of questions. I answered yes to most of them which meant I was depressed. He prescribed me Zoloft, which was supposed to help. I didn't realize I was depressed, I just thought I was in a slump or just got bored with where my life had turned. After awhile I got over it, but since having Hodgkin's disease it has come back.
Before the age of 40 roughly 7 to 18 % of the population has experience at least one depressive episode. Those who have had one episode have more of a chance of having another one later in life. Depression affects twice as many females as males due to stress and adversity. Depression is characterized as a severely depressed moon that last for more than two weeks. Depression that is divided into periods of mild, major or severe moods is considered bipolar, while depression that has no periods elation or mania is considered unipolar. I was considered unipolar because I didn't shift in moods.
Even though I was taking medication I didn't feel the same, so I made a decision to stop taking the medications and try and live with depression relying solely on my faith in Jesus. I didn't want to be a slave to medication; taking it every day and relying on that to be free from depression. If I couldn't rely on Jesus for this hardship, how could I do it in other times of trial? It's hard to but total trust in something intangible and a lot of work, but I have managed to make it work and I feel a lot better now than I did when I was on the medications.
I still have moments when I am depressed and don't want to get out of bed, when those moments come I either grab my Bible and read or simply pray to God for strength. I try to turn to Psalm 42 because it focuses on turning to God turning times of distress. The best verses for me to read are five and six: "why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance. O my God, my soul is cast down within me. Therefore I will remember you. . ." It reminds me to continue to praise God through my distress and depression.
I do my best to try keep doing the things I love even when I am feeling like nothing can make me happy. I listen to the music I love when I wake up and try to keep the thought of God with me as I go about my day. I rely on my friends, who are very supportive and do what they can to help, especially which the Hodgkin's related depression. My friends do anything they can to make me laugh and keep smiling. When I do get into a depressed mood, it's like I am walking around in a daze and nothing seems to be able to help me, but I still try. I owe that to myself.
Depression is a very common thing for people in their 20's and college students. At times it may seem like it's debilitating, but it doesn't have to be. There are ways to overcome it and live with it. What works for one may not work for the other. I have managed to find out what works for me. You should look for something that works perfectly for you.
