Depression Dream

Last night I had a dream. I was in the hospital in the mental health department. It was a rather scary and unsettling dream. I woke up breathing hard, scared and not really in control of my emotions. In the dream I was in bed and someone brought in two therapy dogs to visit me- which made me happy since I love dogs- but there were a couple of people in the room with me and when I mentioned the dogs they said they didn’t see any dogs. In my dream I was very stressed and wondered if I was going crazy or if the other people were. I clearly saw and played with those dogs. I wondered if I was imagining it all or if the other people were trying to make me crazy by telling me they were not there. Even now, hours later I still have an unsettled feeling. Would it be that easy to make someone wonder about their own mental health? Now, I have zero experience with any kind of mental health problems. Yes, I have family and friends that have, or are currently, taking anti-depressant medications- but I have never taken any, nor have I ever considered myself ever truly depressed. Yes, I have had some terrible times in my life where I have experienced much sadness. The death of my mother in 1994 was probably the worst, but I have lost many family members, including fur babies, which was heart wrenching. Marital issues, kids having problems, serious health problems- all which can and has, caused sadness and pain- but that is not what I consider depression. I think there would be something very wrong if I could lose my mom without feeling sadness. I think we should give ourselves a break, a chance to feel, to grieve, to cry, to feel loss for whatever is wrong. We need to go through the emotions to get to the next stage of acceptance no matter what you are going through. However, depression can be real, and real depression needs to be treated by a doctor, by medications and therapy. Talk to a psychologist, talk to a family member or friend. I know some people think mental health brings stigma but everyone knows someone who suffers. We really need to take our mental health much more seriously. Signs of depression include persistent sadness, self-loathing, loss of interest in all activities, irritability and isolation, anxiety, loss of energy, abnormal sleep patterns, changes in appetite and body weight, reckless behavior, and suicidal tendencies. If you are experiencing any kind of anxiety or depression call for help…it is out there. You do not have to handle it alone.