Conquering Your Depression

My Friend's Example part 3: A Glimmer of Hope!

... ( How she asked for the right help & got it ).

The next day I googled all My Friend's Symptoms to check if there is any illness causing such symptoms as Helen had... & I found it. 'Depression'! - Everything fitted it! 

So I called her instantly & told her 'Helen... - I think I know what happened to you'. She answered with a weak voice 'Great, because I have no idea & my parents don't know it either, so I would like to know'. I asked her 'Can I visit you today to talk about it?'. She answered 'Sure... I'm not going anywhere'. So I printed those depression symptoms website I found & showed it to her about 20 minutes later. 

She used all her strength to sit up on her bed & all her will to concentrate enough to read that one page. I could see that it was hard to her so I offered 'Maybe I'll read it to you?' but she said 'No, thanks, I must read it myself'... & she managed, although she was reading much slower than usual. But she did read the whole page...

And when she finished reading, she suddenly dropped that page, said 'OMG!' & started to cry. I picked the fallen page up off the floor & asked my friend 'What is it?' & Helen answered 'That's exactly how I feel ! :(  ... - All those symptoms fit me! - All of Them are Correct!... - so does it mean I have Depression?'. 

I answered 'I'm not a doctor, but it's most probably it... - So I think some doctor who would know if it's depression or something else should see you'. She looked at me carefully & asked 'You mean... A Psychiatrist? :/'. I answered 'Yes' & then there were 2 minutes of silence, so I was afraid that I offended her - but she wasn't offended, she was just thinking about it because she knew I always wanted all the best for her. 

After those 2 minutes that seemed to last as long as eternity she nodded slightly & said 'You're right. I need help - so if this may help me, I can visit a psychiatrist even tomorrow - & I don't care if our classmates will start calling me 'crazy' - I just want to feel better'. I smiled at her and said 'Nobody will call you 'crazy' - I'll take care of that... - You're not crazy, Helen. You just have a problem that needs to be solved'. She said 'Right' again and she asked me 'I need to tell this to my parents - can you come with me?'. I answered 'Of course' & we both went to the living room to talk with her parents. Helen was walking twice as slowly as usual & I could see how much effort it costed her to make every step now, but she wanted to go out of her room & talk to her parents as soon as possible. I told her 'Maybe I'll call them to come to your room if you're so weak today' but she answered 'No, Lily, I need to move at last. I can't spend the rest of my life sitting in my room & staring at the wall'. I answered 'You're right' & we slowly walked to the living room... - I mean 'as fast as she was able to walk'. 

As soon as we entered the living room, Helen told her parents 'Mom, Dad... - I must talk to you'. They turned the tv off & said 'That's wonderful, dear - you weren't very talkative lately & we were worried about you'. She answered 'And that's what I wanted to talk about... - Can you find a good psychiatrist for me?'. Her mother made a surprised face & her father said 'A Psychiatrist?... - My Daughter Doesn't Need a Psychiatrist!'. Helen answered 'Yes, I do... - I have just realized that it may be my only chance to feel better'. Her father said 'You just need a few more days of peace & quiet & you will surely put yourself together'. She answered 'No, dad - I won't just 'put myself together' myself... - I was trying... - but it's just too difficult. And I need some professional help to feel better'. 

Her mother asked 'Why do you think so?' & Helen answered 'Because I most probably suffer from depression & I need someone who know that stuff to check me'. Her father asked 'How do you know that it may be depression?' & I showed them that article I brought and answered for her 'Because I've checked the symptoms & Helen just told me that they all fit how she feels. & these are the symptoms of Depression'. Helen's parents read it & her mother asked 'Is that true, dear?' & Helen answered 'Yes, mom. I need a psychiatrist to check me'. Her parents looked at each other with worried faces & finally her father said 'Alright, Helen, if you're so sure that it's what you need - we'll go to a psychiatrist with you'. Her mother gave her a warm smile & agreed 'Of course, we care about you. We want you to feel better - so don't worry, we'll choose the best psychiatrist we can find and go there with you as soon as possible'. I could see a glimmer of hope shinging in Helen's eyes for a few seconds as she tried to smile & answered 'Thank you'. 

Then she asked me 'Lily, can you please help me go back to my room? - I got tired of standing, I need to lie down'. I answered 'Sure', took my friend under her arm to hold her because she looked so weak & tired that I was afraid that she could fall down anytime without being held & we slowly came back to her room. Step by step. Helen was walking like a weak old lady then, but I was trying not to think 'what happened with my usually energetic friend' - I was just thinking that 'she will feel better soon. She must!'

( & when she felt better some time later, she thanked me for never losing my hope that she would recover - cause without my help she wouldn't recover as fast as she did ).