Dear Andreus,
I get so depressed sometimes. There is not really anything wrong with my life, except that I get lonely sometimes. I have a great job, an awesome boyfriend, a beautiful home, and amazing friends and family. I don’t understand why I still have these bouts of depression. I have tried to focus on all the good things in my life to distract myself from these feelings, but it doesn’t seem to help. Why am I feeling like this? What can I do to stop this?
Sincerely,
Franklin W.
Dear Franklin,
Depression is just as common as the sun in the sky. Everyone deals with something. I applaud you for admitting it and recognizing it. There is clearly something deeper going on, and maybe it will take some time and work to uncover what that is. The best thing that I can suggest to you is to talk to someone. There is no shame in seeing a mental health professional. Psychologists, therapists, and psychiatrists are readily available, even free of charge in some places. One of the easiest ways to deal with your feelings, is to talk about them. Every day is not guaranteed to be perfect, but it can be better.
Dear Andreus,
I am recovering from an accident, and there is a possibility that I will not walk again after snapping my spine. I have intensive therapy coming, but the outcome looks bleak. For this reason, I have told my partner that he is free to go, because I don’t want to burden him with caring for me. He refuses, and I feel so bad for all the care that I require. What do I do? I don’t want to be a burden to anyone.
Sincerely,
Justin P.
Dear Justin,
You have yourself a gem, and a standup guy! As bad as you might feel at thinking you are a burden to him, he clearly loves you enough to stay and want to care for you. You could have someone that would run for the hills and leave you to your own devices. If you have asked him to go, and he is still there, be thankful for that. His desire to care for you, shows commitment and integrity. Let him be there and remain hopeful. Miracles happen every day.
