DepressionMental Health Issues / Mental Illness

Messages from other Trinbagonians with depression

By July 5, 2020 No Comments

We asked persons in Trinidad and Tobago who have experienced depression to send a message to others with depression who feel alone right now. Here is what they had to say:

Too often we think that we are alone in experiencing the bad thoughts and feelings, but being not okay is a huge part of the collective human experience. I was very surprised when I started to open up about just how not okay I am and I found that so many people around me feel the same way. You are not alone, nor will you ever be alone with the bad stuff. – Radeyah H. Ali, Attorney at Law

You are not alone. You’re alive for a reason, and I believe the Person up there knows your worth. I’ve been through that. I’m here, alive, to speak up for who probably thought they didn’t have a voice. You’re not alone. Keep praying. Keep fighting that battle. You may think that help isn’t there, but trust me: the Lord is going to send that right person to help you. He did for me. – Natile

You deserve help and you don’t deserve to suffer because of the ignorance of those that came before you. And if you happen to lose your youth to depression, it’s never too late to go after that life that you really want. – Krista

Try not to beat yourself up and blame yourself for what you’re going through. If depression makes it hard for you to work, or to go to school, to socialize, or to do much at all some days, you are not the only one. There are a lot of people who find it hard to do the things that ‘should be easy’. It does not mean that you’re lazy. What you’re going through is real and you’re fighting with something that no one can see and I’m sure it makes you feel extremely heavy and alone sometimes, especially if no one around you seems to understand or care. But I promise you this isn’t your fault. You didn’t cause this on yourself. I know sometimes you probably take around this extra weight of guilt and self-blame, thinking that this is somehow your fault and you should be ‘better’ than this and you should get over this by now. But it isn’t your fault. This isn’t some character flaw. You didn’t ask for this. And you are genuinely dealing with a lot. So allow yourself compassion. Please know it’s okay to be kind to yourself. – Candice Alaska

If only I could deliver just one message to our people, to people on a whole, it would be to please seek help. Sometimes that help can be in the form of finding someone to talk to (a relative, a friend, a pastor or priest, a professional, someone..), sometimes in the form of medication, sometimes both work together, as it did/does with me. – Penny Williamson

 

The more compassionate, kind and understanding we can be of people with depression, the more likely we are to help. If you or someone you know needs help, please visit our directory of free and reduced cost resources: here. Please ask for help if you need it. You matter.