I just wanted to take a moment to tell each of you what a difference you've made in my life. When I write in my blog, I don't feel like I'm writing my thoughts for strangers to read, but rather I feel like I'm writing to my friends. So many of you regularly comment and I feel a very strong kinship with you. We have gone through many struggles together and I have valued your comments, support and encouragement.
I often think about many of you and wonder how you're doing and hope that you are winning your fight against mental illness. For those of you that blog, I often read your blogs (although rarely comment) and feel a closeness in our shared experiences
So, thank you all again for your support over the years. As I continue to blog and share my thoughts, feelings and struggles with depression with you, please know that you have been and continue to be an amazing support system.
I am a 50 year old man who has had major depression for the last 30 years. Through therapy, medication, exercise, etc, it still has a mind and will of its own. Feeling alone and isolating oneself is very common in our world. I know as a man I would like to find a forum where men can share their stories but alas most men don't like to talk. Please don't stop writing and sharing. What you do is important. And remember you are never ever alone.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to say thank you as your blog has changed me. I stumbled across your blog by accident about a year ago and realised i have many similar feelings to the ones write about. From reading your blog i realsied a problem, that problem was depression. I've taken to writing my own blog now as i hope this will help me. Thankyou for making me see there can be good times and that im not alone. From the bottom of my heart thankyou!
ReplyDelete((((HUGS)))) and THANK YOU!!!
ReplyDeleteThe feeling is mutual.
Hi, Just wanted to let you know that I put a link to your blog on my blog
ReplyDeleteThanks
Funny you should say that Jamie, it was kind of the conclusion of my last post... LOL What's funniest, is that some anonymous commenter decided to be a jerk, and many of my followers quickly blasted him/her... Amazing the support we find online! So glad to have found you.
ReplyDeleteKnow exactly what you mean. For some strange reason reading and sharing with others lifts you when everything else fails.
ReplyDeleteBe lucky :-)
Hey, I have never posted before but I have read your blog a few times and I just wanted to say that I really admire you for having the guts to write this blog. Mental illness is far from easy and I think you're fantastic for helping yourself and having the courage to be public with it. There is still a real stigma surrounding mental illness but it's websites/blogs like this that will help it become more widely acceptable. Well done and good luck :)
ReplyDeleteI write a couple of other sites like fitness and caregiving. Even humor. I read so many humor sites that nothing is funny any more. But sites like yours are refreshing in their sincerity. And, yes, I have fought suicidal depression for almost forty years now. We are old combat veterans. Love you.
ReplyDeleteFred
ReplyDeleteI am the man in the first post. Do you have a link to your other writings?
Thank you all. It's so great that we are able to connect with each other. Jim and Fred it sounds like you both have a few things in common. I hope you can connect.
ReplyDeleteDear Jamie,first of all I would like to congratulate you about your courage to write about something that has been torturing you for so many years. My name is Yiota and I work as a clinical psychologist at a NGO (whose concern is mental health) in Greece. Unfortunately here in Greece there is still a lot of stigma, regarding psuchological disorders and mental diseases. Searching the internet, I couldn' t come across any blog, written from a "patient", describing trully his own, real thoughts and feelings about everyday life. I think that a blog like this, would encourage so many people to fell free to talk to each other about what they think and feel. I would like to ask your permission to use some of your posts translated to greek, as an introduction of a blog that could be made among Greek people, suffering from depression, or other emotional disorders.I hope that this will be the start of a beautiful effort, made by people like you, that have these kind of difficulties, regardless of their gender, education, country or religion.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much in advance and looking forward for your news.
Yiota
Yiota, Thank you for your comment. Please feel free to translate some of my posts. You can contact me directly at jamieleggatt(at)hotmail.com.
ReplyDeleteJaimie,
ReplyDeleteI just came across your blog this weekend. I have just gone through the most difficult time in my life. My family moved across country, couldn't sell out house so we had to rent it for half our mortgage, my daughter broke 2 ankles and had surgery, my mother fell and suffered brain damage and was put into a home and my husband lost his job due to a reorganization. My family is now moving again due to my husbands new job, but this is a great thing. However through out all this time my depression has been terrible and I am hoping with our move I can start fresh and get it under control. Thank you for your blog.