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View Full Version : Amazing Story from a past member....



Suzi
11-09-14, 11:43 PM
I've been so amazingly touched by reading the status from a previous member of the forum. I've seen her along the journey she has been on from when I first met her on the forum. She has been incredibly kind enough to write something for me to be able to share on the facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/DealingWithDepression.UKforumpage) and here... Over to her..

Let me start by saying I feel very privileged to be writing this for the DWD site. When Suzi approached me to ask me to write a follow up for the site I had had exactly the same thought in my head when she asked me. I think it is so important for anyone on the site to hear feedback from other people who were helped by the support of the everyone on the site.
This week was a monumental week for me. It was a very proud (and nerve wracking moment) to appear in a national magazine and a newspaper. Looking at the pictures and the article I couldn’t help but think back to what my life was like 4 years ago.
I have had a number of bouts of depression in my life but 4 years ago a catalogue of events happened within a short period of time and my world came crashing down. I made sure that I did go to my GP to speak to her in the first instance and went straight onto anti-depressants. The depression deepened, the meds were upped and I struggled to see a way forward. I got to a scary point where I thought I was going to be sectioned. I was suicidal. This scared me as I had never felt that way before. I googled about depression looking for ways of helping myself through the fog. I stumbled across the DWD website. It was a lifeline. I could finally talk to people about how exactly I felt without fear, explain the fear, not worry about how they would react to how I was feeling, what I wanted to do. When you feel that you cannot tell your family and friends how you feel as you don’t want to worry them.
I used the site daily and most nights which were my hard times as I had insomnia. The support from everyone on the site was something I will never forget. We didn’t only talk about our depression and how we were feeling, we talked about other things going on in our lives which I think is so important to do. It gives you another focus.
Along with the support of everyone on the site and especially Suzi and my amazing GP I started to make my way through the dark cloud. I’m not going to lie and say it was easy and one day you wake up and it’s all gone. YOU have to work at it and YOU have to want to get through it but having support and somewhere to talk is key.

My life is so different now. I’ve walked the Moonlight Walk in London (cried at the end). I’ve run a half marathon and my career has climbed year on year. I follow Michelle Mone on Twitter as I find her inspirational. She too has had a number of struggles in her life. Then I saw a tweet about Ultimo offering women to apply for a place in their advertising campaign for Real Women. I applied and to my surprise I was one of 15 women chosen. Suddenly the reality of posing in underwear for a campaign that would be nationwide hit home but my key focus on this was celebrating life, celebrating my life, celebrating being alive. If anyone had said to me four years ago that I would be doing this, appearing in Closer magazine and in the Daily Mail I would have told them they were mad. But I did!
And why am I telling you this story? Because for the person who is reading this now I hope that a little of this gives you hope and gives you the strength to know that one day, with some work and some fight, you will start to feel better. Life will get better. One day you will look back and be proud of how you got yourself through it. Good luck to you all.

Paula
12-09-14, 01:34 PM
I think this will resonate with many members, including me. Thanks to her for sharing :)

shine
09-11-14, 10:32 PM
Wow. This is so amazing to read. DwD has really touched and helped so many including myself. I had people to talk to and people to listen to me and I hoped I could help others in return. I don't get to come on here much anymore but I often do think about all those on here that I got to know. Suzi its posts like this that show what an amazing job you and the team do.

purplefan
09-11-14, 10:46 PM
I think for me it shows the impact DID has on people. To deal with depression on your own or having a loved one not understand is such a traumatic time. Yet DWD gives that daily support we need.
That person story is so inspirational as it shows us to never give evidence in. Even in the darkest days the struggle is worth it.
What a fantastic post.

Aspasia
10-11-14, 01:39 PM
Amazing and inspirational.

Catkin
21-11-14, 05:28 PM
that is brilliant! Well done to her and as others have said, so inspirational! :)

Miss Molly
28-12-14, 02:14 PM
Wow! A very inspirational story. Thanks for sharing, you are an amazing person.

Vulcan
30-05-16, 08:19 PM
Yes your amazing. I hope to be like you one day but my life is very up and down and i feel very guilty because ive been off work for 5 months.