This holiday hasn’t been cheerful for everyone. I have quite a few friends on the grid who have had their share of bad news, heartbreak, or just a bleak outlook with no sure answer on what next year will hold for them. For many, it’s a struggle to manage anything from day to day. Some can’t handle it. Some lose their ability to cope and disappear from our lives forever.
Depression is a devastating disease of the mind. It ravages your self-image and confidence. It depreciates your accomplishments, it makes you feel like you’re the tiniest person in the world. If you aren’t careful, it can consume you entirely. The scary thing is, someone close to you can be enduring this, putting on a front of a person who has absolutely nothing wrong, and you will be none the wiser.
It isn’t an easy answer to “just be happy”, like what some people can tell you if you’re personally going through this. It’s not like you can flip a switch, and medication isn’t always affordable (as of right now). Even with the possibility of taking a pill, some argue it isn’t the best answer. So how do you cure depression? There are different methods, but the first step is to get help.
Get help. Do not go through this alone. It can be embarrassing when your world feels like it’s falling apart, or even if you just have some nagging feeling despite your life being pretty great otherwise. Reach out to someone you trust, just to get your feelings off of your chest. If you don’t have anyone you feel you can talk to, you can always pick up the phone and talk to someone.
Have you ever been depressed? Did a friend in Second Life help you get through it? If you’ve gotten over depression, what did you find helpful for accomplishing it? Feel free to share your stories in the comments below. If you’re currently depressed, remember–reaching out is the first step to getting better.
- Dress: MIAMAI – Elapse (the flower wings are a part of this set as well.)
- Tights: MIAMAI – Ardore (Black)
- Wings: Europa – Nyxus Wings
- Hair: Alice Project – Mary
- Location: The Golden Thread Exhibit, MIAMAI
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Thank you, that is so sweet. This is an excellent post. There are some support groups in SL as well. One of them is called Mental Health Awareness Retreat. Also many disabled people get support through a very good place called Virtual Ability run by Gentle Heron. Hugs.
Thanks for replying! That’s great there are support groups in SL too.
Among other things, I have suffered from Depression since I was 11 years old. I’m now on the cusp of turning 34 and still struggling. I think it’s hard for people to understand how debilitating it really is unless they’ve experienced it themselves. Thanks for this post <3 xo
Can I just add, if any ladies are going through a rough patch and need a friend, send me an IM in-world, I'm pretty shy but it's nice to make friends with someone who understands what you're going through.
Thank you so much for sharing! I have a long-running streak as well. It comes and goes, although I have never had a formal diagnosis.
I’ve lost a very good friend in SL from Depression and alcoholism. He was such a kind, sweet soul, but very troubled. I pleaded with him to get help, but sadly he didn’t and it was just too late. He left behind so many people that cared about him. I wish he could have seen how much he was loved. I wish he would have gotten help.
I’m sorry for your loss. It’s hard to lose someone who you want to help more but just can’t. I know that feeling somewhat too. Thank you so much for sharing.
i’m not clinically depressed but spent a good majority of december in the hospital and am now home with a tube feed. spent christmas alone because i can’t travel right now to see relatives. i’ve got the sads. hope i don’t spiral down because this tube in my nose really sucks. (four more weeks of it, hopefully, i have a hole in my stomach that needs to heal.
thank you for the post, it was an inspiration to me to try to keep grateful for the wonderful things i do have. like lots of clothes on SL to play with while i’m convalescing.
Absolutely! One trick I have is to try not to listen to sad music. Sometimes pop is silly, but it can cheer you up. Try to keep listening to music that’s upbeat whenever you feel those sads again.
Thank you for such a wonderful, enlightening post. As a life long sufferer of depression, it makes me happy to see people bringing light to a cause that has sadly become a social stigma.
If more people were aware of what depression is, perhaps we wouldn’t feel the need to hide and be ashamed of what we suffer from.
Totally. I deal with mine as I can, I have friends who have learned to cope and live their life, some who need a doctor, some who have seen one and it isn’t working.. lots of different angles and approaches on this one subject. It’s a long fight but solidarity is key.