Hudspeth

Jasmine Hudspeth

Tamera Davis

Online Comp II

May 18, 2019

Essay 1: Clinical Depression

Have you ever had someone irritate you so much that you simply looked at them and said,

"what's your problem?" Did you ever stop to think that maybe their problem is deeper? There

are 19 million Americans affected by clinical depression. Some of these people you probably

interact with daily. They could be friends, family, coworkers, or even you. Can you identify

depression?

I can immediately sense when somebody is not feeling thier best. I have learned to read

cues well, because I can identify with them. My first marriage was good at first; then it turned

out to be an unsafe situation. I had moved away from my family and friends, so my support

system was gone. I began losing myself more each day. I told myself, “maybe tomorrow will be

different” but it wasn’t. The days grew longer, the nights were even harder. Waiting out the days

until my divorce was final, I lived in a domestic violence shelter. I found myself in a dark place.

It was a place filled with anxiety, hate and terror. My personality had completely changed from a

bubbly, happy person to someone who would go through the motions of the day. I was always

tired and never had the energy to even take care of myself. I began to realize that my depression

wasn't only affecting me. My son was two and should have been running around causing chaos,

but he was too busy comforting me. I knew in that moment I needed help.
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At times depression will come with an uneasy feeling of anxiety. People feel like waves

bouncing off your chest. Your mind is like a labyrinth of old wisdom unreachable (Foster). Too

bad, we are not like elephants. "We could be communitarians. Relationality would be

everything." (Foster) When we cover our lost veterans with the American flag, we are showing

an empathetic knowledge of what will be our destiny. My husband is an Army war veteran he

served eight years with one tour in Iraq. He said, " What I went through is indescribable to those

who have never been there. I was in a country where you're vulnerable from not only the

environment and hostiles; but your own who mentally disconnected themselves." I couldn’t

imagine what it felt like to only look forward to a next meal, and the idea of returning home. I

help him simply by reassuring him that I am here and I love him. Telling him how thankful we

are for him and reminding him he is an amazing person. Fourteen percent of Service members

experience depression after deployment. However, this number may be even higher because

some service members never seek care (Kerr). Remember to Thank our Service Men and

Women. A simple thank you could save a life. My father's wife recently passed away. He

seemed ok at first, but after a month I started to notice he stopped taking care of himself and his

home. His house was always dark. His weight started to deplete. He was always tired and looked

sick. One day I cleaned his house, folded his laundry and left. I didn’t tell him it was me. What

do you think happened? He called me. We talked for hours. I could feel him reconnecting to

himself. Since then we've talked about how his depression evolved and what is going to make

him better. He still has a long journey ahead of him but, he doesn't have to do it alone.
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I have lost friends and family due to cases of severe depression. Two of my children lost

their mother from clinical depression. When depression begins to control you a comment like

"what's your problem?" Will cause the small light inside to go dim in the mind a darkness once

avoided causes the decision to give up. With one moment of weakness everyone is affected,

some more traumatic then others. It can send another person down the same path or help

someone realize that could've been them. There are so many resources for someone who is

wanting to help themselves. A quick Google search even will give an exam to assess the severity

of depression. The first step is admitting that help is needed. "What's your problem?" Or "Are

you ok?" What three words will you choose?

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Website References

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jan/19/if-you-were-an-elephant- If you were an

elephant by Charles Foster

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