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Wednesday, October 10, 2012

It can sssssssssssneak up on you

Hey everyone.  Today I have a special mani to show you.  While everyone knows when it comes to October it's all about breast cancer awareness, it's also depression awareness month.  Depression is actually a very normal part of our lives.  When you feel sad or blue you say you are depressed.  Many of you know I lost my father to complications from chemotherapy recently.  I am still very depressed about this.  I love my dad, I can't imagine living my life every day without him, BUT dying is the only guarantee we have in this life.  I cry and I get very angry when I think of my father's dying but I know this will ebb.  I know this because I also lost my beautiful sister, Lisa, to breast cancer 3 years ago.  I've also gone through a divorce and a break up which left me very sad.  People will often say something I think is dumb, such as, time heals all wounds.  Time heals a physical wound not a wound of the heart and soul.

My green mani for Depression Awareness is one that shows just how depression can creep up on us.  It's silent and steady and sometimes without help it can be deadly.

There is a difference between depression and clinical depression.  Plain or simple depression is considered as a normal occurrence of everyone's life.  that doesn't mean it's plain or simple--losing a loved one, a  pet, a job--are all things that can cause plain or simple depression.  When they are happening to us they don't feel plain or simple.  They feel heart wrenching.  

When depression starts to hinder your everyday living--i.e you can't get out of bed, you can't eat or sleep, you can't work then you're not looking at simple or mild depression.  When depression lasts longer than 6 months, when it affects your everyday life to the point you no longer function as you once did this is clinical depression.  This is where you really should seek professional help.



Sometimes we like to think we can diagnose and treat ourselves.  Please don't do this with something like depression.  If you are depressed and it lasts more than 6 months, if you aren't eating or sleeping, if you can't get out of bed, or go to work, please seek help, you are not alone and you don't have to suffer.



My mani is done with a base of Zoya Ray--it might be my new favorite green.  I stamped on it using the green Bohemians Unpredictable, Rare & Radiant and Deviantly Daring.  The image plate is Mash 42.


This is a month long collaboration to focus on Depression Awareness.  Please stop by to see what all the other gals have come up with


7 comments:

  1. I love that you chose this topic. I have experienced what clinical depression can do to a person, and when someone close to you has depression, it affects you too. Thanks for bringing something so serious front and center today.

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    1. It's so very hard to have someone we love go through depression whether it's simple or clinical. You want to say something to make them feel better, but really there are no words to do this. Hugs to you for having gone through this Jessie, and you're right, it does affect friends and family too.

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  2. beautifully written LAurie - I am going to do a week of posts next week. LOVE the mani too x

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    1. Thanks Debbie! I can't wait to see more of these throughout the month!

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  3. Clinical depression can be frighteningly insidious, especially when the sufferer is someone who doesn't allow themselves to display what they consider weakness. It respects no one, and any of us can be touched by it, directly or indirectly. It doesn't always require a staggering personal loss to sneak in, and sometimes it's a cumulative thing after several losses. I am so sorry Laurie that you have suffered so many personal losses recently, but want to thank you for posting this. I myself had no idea how very sneaky depression was until I nearly lost my soulmate to it.

    It's a very beautiful mani. Maybe if you ever feel moved to repeat it, the evil eye could be replaced with a water lily? A beautiful Koi?

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  4. Very good post, hopefully it will touch someone, help someone. You are still in my prayers Laurie :) Beautiful mani!

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  5. So beautiful.. and the eye is creepy! Love them!

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