Depression and Suicide: True Stories

People suffering from depression are in pain and want immediate relief. They often need support from loved ones and friends as they battle an enemy they can't even see. But loved ones and friends can find that helping someone in a depressive state can be very exhausting and challenging in ways they didn't expect. So they need encouragement to continue the journey -- or tips from someone who has walked their path before. That's why Author A. Hope interviewed 14 people who have either been depressed (or had loved ones or friends who were), so they could share their stories about what the depression journey was like for them in order to help readers know that they are not alone -- and that there is hope. Divorced moms and dads, married couples and singles all share what depression looks like in their lives -- and what it means to have (or not have) family and friends to lean on during their difficult time. And loved ones and friends of the individuals share what they went through in order to be there for the hurting depressed person in their life -- and how that impacted them. In the end, each story highlights an aspect of this debilitating condition...and a way through it, reminding all that they don't have to let depression have the last word in their lives. Sometimes it will require medication and ongoing therapy to ensure such victory over it; sometimes, but not always, since some depression is experienced due to a major loss (like the death of a loved one; the loss of a job, etc.), rather than due to health, such as a chemical imbalance in the brain. Therefore, not every depressed person is going to stay depressed long-term or require medication or therapy. In fact, some might experience depression only once in their life, due to a circumstance that never happens again. Thus, these 14 stories help readers see which category they fall into -- short- or long-term depression; situational or health-related depression, and to also learn what others going through depression did about it. If you or your loved one is depressed, don't give up! But do seek help, if it is needed. And never forget that there is hope! And that hope might be birthed by reading how other people made it through their depression.