Ending the Silence

* MESSAGE BOARD
* HOME
* DONATIONS
* HOTLINES
* DEFINING ABUSE
* GROWING UP
* SEXUAL ABUSE
* DEPRESSION
* THE HEALING JOURNEY
* CHANGING PATTERNS
* GETTING SUPPORT
* LINKS
* ARTICLES (PIECES WRITTEN BY ME)
* BOOKS
* MY POETRY
* GODS & GODDESSES OF MYTHOLOGY
* GEM MAGICK
* HERBS
* WICCA
* FAIRIES
* SUPERSTITIONS
* ART WITH WORDS
* DISCOVERING DRAGONS
* ANCIENT BELIEFS

The abuse was never our fault! We never asked for it, wanted it, or needed it. It was done to us!

If you have visited this site before then you know that its appearance has changed yet again. I love to hear what you about the changes to the site, if you like them, or prefer the older look, and if you are new, well then you have little to compair this new look with, but in neither case, I hope you enjoy the site and thank you for stopping bye.

Been battered and bruised,
Been lost in the darkness,
Drowning in the sea of sorrow,
But here I am still standing,
Still seeking and striving
To stand tall.

Click on any of the areas listed below to visit those pages. Thank you.

Depression
According to a report from the National Institutes of Mental Health, nearly 18.8 million Americans over the age of 18 suffer from major depression. Suicide, closely linked to depression, is the third leading cause of death in 10- to 24-year-olds. Unfortunately, most people never seek treatment. Left undiagnosed and untreated, depression can worsen, lasting for years and causing untold suffering, and possibly even result in suicide.

What Is Depression?

Types of depression include:

What Are the Symptoms of Depression?

Recognizing the Signs of Suicide

What to do if someone you know is thinking of suicide?

Major depression- An individual with this type of depression feels a profound and constant sense of hopelessness and despair. 
Major depression is manifested by a combination of symptoms that interfere with the ability to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy once pleasurable activities.

Chronic depression (dysthymia)-sometimes referred to as chronic depression, is a less severe form of depression but the depression symptoms linger for a long period of time, perhaps years. Those who suffer from dysthymia are usually able to function adequately, but seem consistently unhappy. It is common for a person with dysthymia to also experience major depression at the same time - swinging into a major depressive episode and then back to a more mild state of dysthymia. This is called double depression.

Bipolar depression-Bipolar depression also called bipolar disorder or "manic-depressive" disease is a mental illness that causes people to have severe high and low moods. People with this illness switch from feeling overly happy and joyful (or irritable), to feeling very sad. Because of the highs and the lows -- or two poles of mood -- the condition is referred to as "bipolar" depression. In between episodes of mood swings, a person may experience normal moods.

Seasonal depression (seasonal affective disorder or SAD)-Often called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a depression that occurs each year at the same time, usually starting in fall or winter and ending in spring or early summer. It is more than just "the winter blues" or "cabin fever." A rare form of SAD known as "summer depression," begins in late spring or early summer and ends in fall.

Psychotic Depression-Roughly 25% of people who are admitted to the hospital for depression suffer from what's called psychotic depression. In addition to the symptoms of depression, psychotic depression includes some features of psychosis -- like hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren't really there) or delusions (irrational thoughts and fears).

Depression After the Birth of a Child (Postpartum Depression) -  is a complex mix of physical, emotional, and behavioral changes that occur after giving birth that are attributed to the chemical, social, and psychological changes associated with having a baby 
 
Depression discolors all aspects of one's life and those of us who have survived child abuse are at a high risk of suffering from depression. In our childhood we suffered from feelings of helplessness and worthlessness that are carried forward into our adult lives. I have times I like to call when the darkness washes over me, periods of depression that are like a thick blanket enloping me, preventing me from enjoying life, of seeing that goodness does exist in life, yet I have an underlining belief and strength that the time will pass. It doesn't make it any easier to survive these periods of darkness, but for me, I reach out to others who can understand, who have experience similar feelings. I use my writing, mostly poetry to help me express these feelings. I find that it can be a daily, weekly or monthly struggle with periods in-between when things seem just fine.

For me, the periods of my depression are like the waves of the ocean lapping the shore, they wash over me, consuming me with feelings of worthilessness and helplessness with echoes that I am not good enough to be here, to exist, that somehow I deserve this darkness that settles around me like a blanket, even though logically I know that I do not deserve this, but when the waves of darkness come it is difficult to not listen to the luring melody. For me, I allow them freedom by writing what I am feeling, and letting the emotions go into my words. 
Remember you are not alone if you suffer from depression and depression is treatable, you can get help and things do get better!

*  Sadness
    * Loss of enjoyment from things that were once pleasurable
    * Loss of energy
    * Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
    * Difficulty concentrating
    * Difficulty making decisions
    * Insomnia or excessive sleep
    * Unexplained aches and pains
    * Stomachache and digestive problems
    * Sexual problems (for example, decreased sex drive)
    * Aches and Pains (such as recurrent headaches)
    * A change in appetite causing weight loss or gain
    * Thoughts of death or suicide
    * Attempting suicide

Women develop depression twice as often as men. One reason may be the various changes in hormone levels that women experience. For example, depression is common during pregnancy and menopause, as well as after giving birth, suffering a miscarriage, or having a hysterectomy -- these are all times when women experience huge fluctuations in hormones. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), an extreme form of PMS, may also cause depression.

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