From The Black Story to The Present

As long as I can remember I have always battled, more than the regular person, with my moods. Along the way I have worked hard to find out as much as I can about me. I have come to the conclusion after much therapy and my own research that I suffer from what's known as Dystemia  - a long lasting depressive disorder that shares many characteristics with Major Depressive Disorder. It tends to come in waves and is particularly difficult in the winter.

Throughout my twenties (I'm now late 20's) I have noticed the effects of my plaguing moods more and more as they have fought to destroy my relationships, my career and passion for life in general. I have made progress I believe. I used to be quite socially phobic which I have managed to overcome, which is great 'cause people are great. I have suffered from severe anxiety and panic attacks in the past which wasn't any kind of fun - I found Rescue Remedy really useful for this. I have been medicated once - it sucked and I stopped it after a few weeks. I won't lie, at times I have been very ill - that is hard to admit here...and hence why this experiment is titled The Brave Girl Project.

Depression is one of those funny things (not really ha ha funny), it's hard to understand, to get the gist of and it's different for everybody. I am lucky and have a very supportive partner and a handful of long distance friends who I know are there for me no matter what. It's a difficult beast and it makes me angry when people make fun of those John Kirwan ads...so if you do that, please don't a meany. If you only read one book it should be "I HAD A BLACK DOG" by Matthew Johnstone. I can't reccommend this book enough. I read it regularly and so does my partner, it's refreshing, concise and fun (fun and depression, who would of thought!?)

not THE END.