I remember it as if it was yesterday. I stared into the mirror but didn’t recognize the reflection gazing back at me.
Who was she? How did she get here? When did it happen?
I had fallen into depression’s pit.
My productive life turned into a struggle for existence.
As I surveyed my bathroom vanity, the signs of my normal life remained: toothbrush and toothpaste, vitamins, makeup…but the motivation to engage no longer existed.
She sat across from me with tear-stained cheeks and looked at me with misty eyes.
“I’m not sure what’s wrong with me. Maybe it’s just stress.” She shared of her stresses at work, at home, and even with extended family. Yet after a few particularly important questions, I zeroed in on the heart of the problem.
“What you’re dealing with is depression,” I relayed.
Part of what contributes to depression is our stale thinking. When something is stale, it is on it’s way to a slow death, no longer full of life and freshness. So stale thinking is any thought that does not yield life, but pulls us down. Learn how to eliminate stale thinking.
It started as a little desire that rattled around in my heart like a wayward pinball. I shared with a friend, “I just want to help those who live too far away to come into my office. Depression doesn’t have to be a way of life.”
She affirmed what my heart already sensed, “All of your years of training, as well as your decades of experience and your love of writing, puts you in an excellent place to write a book, a resource for those in need.”
Now I understand. While I’ve always been empathic and cared for my patients, I never really understood, the way I do now…now that I’ve been on the other side of the desk. The doctor, the caregiver, and the patient. After all I’ve been through, I can see that God really will use our pain for our good and His glory.
“Is it grief or something more?” That’s a question I’m often asked as a board certified clinical neuropsychologist. Everyone grieves differently. Do you know the signs and symptoms to watch for when grief progresses into depression? Learn more here.
