Author Archives: Becky

The Big Dark Elephant In The Room: Dealing with Depression and Mental Illness

The Big Dark Elephant In The Room:  Dealing with Depression and Mental Illness

There is an elephant in the room that no one likes to talk about. It’s called mental illness.  It comes in all shapes and sizes.  It doesn’t care if you are male or female, old or young.

elephantI’m a positive, see the glass half full type of person, but three years ago I was blinded sided by a flood of darkness that was so heavy I didn’t know if life was worth living.  The simplest of tasks became a great effort. THANK goodness I didn’t give in to the brutal lie and fought through it.  The bits of depression that I experience off and on have given me a small glimpse of what too many experience on a daily basis, and I can’t imagine dealing with it on a deeper level. I have had days I wanted to stay in bed curled up in a ball with the covers over my head and shut out the world until everything was all well.  I know there are too many people that experience this in various degrees EVERYDAY.

I was somewhat surprised when I read the comments under a recent Facebook status that I had posted about back to back funerals of two very good friends. The comments quickly turned to the topic of depression and mental illness after someone posted about a loved one who had taken their life to end their fight with mental illness.  It was clear to see there were a lot of people hurting from the effects of this ugly dark disease either directly or from it’s ripple effects.

I reached out privately to those who openly expressed they battled mental illness, I asked one mother if I could share her story.  She bravely agreed in hope her story might help others.  Thank you for being honest and real.

Life with depression

“My life is very different from others. I have a problem, or you could call it a disease it is called DEPRESSION. I am really good at masking it so that people don’t know what I go through however some days it isn’t that easy. Some days everything I do takes a huge effort; getting out of bed, making sure the kids are ready for school, going to work. It is truly very hard. Then I come home from my day and realize my job is still not done and I must fight to finish the day.

Depression comes and goes, some days it is really strong, and other days it is mild. The hardest thing with depression is the feeling of having to do this alone. If I talk about it then I fear people will stop being my friend because they don’t understand depression and don’t dare ask what it is like. I hesitate to tell people because I have been judged so many times because of it. I don’t want pity, or people to think I am crazy. You learn to keep it to yourself and stay in survival mode.

I am a strong person who struggles with feeling like I am not of worth and that I will not amount or do any good in my lifetime. The lowest time in my life was when my children were 21 months and I also had a newborn. I lay on the floor of my home curled into a ball sobbing and feeling that I am not worthy to be on this earth and nobody needs me. I cried as the thoughts hit me that I should just kill myself, I then thought I can’t leave my beautiful children. Then the thought was kill them and take them with you. How could someone that loves and adores children have a thought like that? I am grateful every day that I didn’t listen or do what the depression was trying to tell me was okay. My poor husband didn’t know how to help me. He had always been told that depression is all in your head GET OVER IT, It’s not that hard!

ONE DAY my husband and I were driving to his parents and he turned to me and said;

“I don’t know how to help you; we need to have you talk to the doctor.”

He FINALLY understood that I can’t control this. After seeing the doctor and determining that I have the same chemical imbalance as my mom, alas I needed to be on medication.  This is not what I wanted to inherit from my mother,  I wanted the gene that makes her an excellent baker not the depression gene!  It was very hard for me to tell my other doctors that I was on meds for depression, until one doctor made the difference. He told me never be ashamed to say I have depression and need medication to help, just like someone who is diabetic needs insulin. I am grateful every day that he helped me see it that way.

I hope if anything comes out of sharing my story that it will be not to  judge because you never know what someone else maybe dealing with. I am grateful for my children because they are what has kept me alive. I look forward to the day when I get to see my them get married and I become a grandma. My children are the positive in my life that helps me get through the darkness of depression. I am stronger because of this bump in my mortal life. Even with all the bumps in my life that I have faced and made it through I am thankful every day that my Heavenly Father sent me to earth with a 4-wheel drive so I can muddle over the bumps and come out on the other side.” ~an anonymous friend

I love hearing there is HOPE …

Dozens reported they had received help from medication, others from diet, exercise and supplements.  Several were excited to tell me about a product that had helped them or someone they loved, called “EMPowerplus Q96”, a natural remedy found by a father, desperate to find a solution for his children who have mental illness, and not wanting to lose them to suicide like their mother and Grandmother.  I was so intrigued by the article that I ordered the product!  I am eager to try it,  who doesn’t want greater mental clarity?

I would like to do several follow-up blog posts featuring YOUR story of over-coming, or successfully dealing with depression, mental illness, bipolar, etc….  By being open you help others.   And in doing so, you discover life is good.

Autumn Stringham shares her experience with bi-polar disorder

Click HERE for the follow up of my personal battle with depression and my experience with Q96.  

 

On the Serious Side. by Scott Mackintosh

My husband Scott posted something serious as his Facebook status, it caught me by surprise, because he likes to keep things on the lighter side.  When I read it, I knew it needed to be my next blog post ….so HERE IT IS …

On The Serious Side.  by Scott Mackintosh

OK, I am weird, I admit that, but let me explain. I dread every funeral that comes my way. I dread them because of the obvious reasons of death and finality. I have been attending too many funerals as of late, and in nearly every instance it was someone that I considered too young.

Now let me explain why I might be different than most, because so far I am most likely on track with the norm. …

Funerals 

I feel that they are the BEST church meetings that one can attend. (Weird huh?) I have held on to every word that has been spoken. I have seen more love and compassion from loved ones than I could fathom. I have enjoyed these services beyond my dreams. Bottom line is that I have learned so much.

What I have learned …

First, is to never judge. Jesus Christ is the judge and my job is to love. I can never fully know what trials others are asked to bear.

Second, is that its not up to me to decide what is too young. My trust in God tells me that the presence of God and passed loved ones has to be better than the pains associated with mortal life, although there is MUCH joy in this life. I should be happy for those who pass the test and get to live with God again. My mortal mind tells me something different than that.

Third, I feel a closer presence of loved ones past whom I really get the impression that they send promptings to help me succeed. At funerals I stop my busy life long enough to feel those impressions while the veil of forgetfulness becomes somewhat thin.

Fourth, I become more vulnerable on those sacred days. I hug more. I say the words “I Love You” more and the best part is that I truly mean it.

Fifth, is that I appreciate life so much more and am reminded to not take loved ones for granted. I treasure the re-acquaintances of family and friends.

Sixth, is that its OK to CRY. Quit fighting it and let it go. It’s a great relief and others wont be able to see you through their own tears anyway.

Seventh, and final item, is that God teaches me on those sacred days.  Because of the words spoken and even the unspoken words, I ALWAYS walk away with a deeper desire and commitment to be a BETTER person.

I am sorry and ashamed that it takes those types of reminders to recommit, but that is what funerals do for me. I attended two yesterday, of beautiful people who did much good in this world, that is why I am a bit sensitive today. I am sorry if this is not my normal funny me, but dang it, this is my way to heal.

Now having said all this, I pray that it’s quite a while before the next one.

 

One Word Can Make All The Difference!

Have you ever said something that didn’t quite come out right?  Boy I have, more than once!

The other day a friend, who was not afraid to be blunt and honest, sent me the following message:

“You mentioned in your video (A Very Real Matter: Same-Sex Attraction) that ‘LIFE IS TO BE ENJOYED, NOT ENDURED’. While I like the concept and wish it were true all the time, I disagree with that, at least in part.”

FINALLY someone called me out on the one line that had bothered me from the very first time I viewed the video of my son Sean and me.  We started filming at 10:30pm without a script – we spoke from our heart.  It was late, we were tired, and it was our last night to get it done. My daughter Kelsey, who filmed the 35-minute interview, was visiting for Christmas and heading back to her home the following morning.  After hours of editing to condense the message, Kelsey sent us the now 6-minute video.   As I watched it, I felt good about the message; the only line that I was hesitant with was;

“Life is to be enjoyed, not endured”

What I thought I had said and what had actually come out, were two different things.  The option for a “do-over” was gone. I KNOW everyone has challenges both big and small and YES we are often asked to endure HARD things.  It’s what builds our character and makes us who we are.  Our option was to take the whole line out or leave it in. Obviously we opted to leave it in.  The blog article which accompanied the video got it right:

“Life is to be enJOYed, not JUST endured!”  

One word makes all the difference!

The friend who called me out on the line in the video, is my friend Rich, he’s someone who KNOWS the meaning of enduring hard things, he also know the sweet JOYS of life.

I replied to Rich’s email thanking him for his honesty and asked him to read my blog where I had adding the word “just” to my plea.  He immediately replied:

“OK, I definitely can get behind the “Life should be enjoyed not JUST endured.  That makes sense to me.  In fact, it’s been my experience that the traumas and challenges in life, are what give the enjoy part of life a much sweeter taste!  Besides, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced personal growth sitting on a white sandy beach, sipping on a drink.  Instead, it’s been life’s traumas that have been the catalyst to growth and what has molded my character.  There are parts of life that we all must endure.”

You see, Rich survived a solo plane crash; this is the account in his own words:

“On September 14, 1987, I was piloting a Piper Supercub (a bush plane), looking for stray cows for my brother Pete.  Pete is a cattle rancher and had cows turned out in the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness area in Eastern Oregon.  Shortly after take off during my last flight of the day, the airplane developed engine problems and I crashed at the base of the mountain.  When the plane hit, the wing tanks burst (I had just fueled the airplane) and aviation fuel flooded the cockpit, soaking me and then exploded.  I was trapped in the airplane.  My father and brother were on horseback, saw the airplane go down, rode to the crash site and saw how bad it was.  To this day I do not know how I got out of the airplane, but I honestly suspect some kind of divine intervention.  My dad rode down the hill to a road, was able to flag down a car who took him to a house, and the people happened to be home.  He called the emergency number and an ambulance happened to be a few minutes away from me servicing a logging accident.  They got to me in record time, and took me to the a little hospital about 45 minutes away.  The last thing I remember is one of the doctors cutting off my wedding ring with a little saw of some kind. I remained in a coma for 10 days.  I was 30 years old.  My son was 9 months old.”

The results of the accident were as follows:

  • 3rd degree burns to 75% of my body

  • 47 days in critical condition

  • Major infection – cheated death twice

  • 90 days in intensive care

  • 18 months in a pressure suit

  • 2 years at the hospital

  • 33 major surgeries over 6 1/2 years

  • My wife left after 3 months (leaving my son with me)

The blessings of the accident have been many, and I almost do not have room to write about all of them.  Some of the highlights are:

  • I got to experience what it’s like to totally depend on God.

  • My priorities were instantly correct, I care deeply about people and not so much about things anymore.

  • I got to experience the deepest love, sacrifice and dedication of my family.

  • I got to spend 24/7/365 with my son for many years.  What father get’s to do that?  And because of this, my son and I are closer than any other father and son I know.  We have a tight bond between us.

  • I tend to enjoy life, including the simplest of things much more than people who have not endured a life threatening trauma.

  • I got to experience more pain than most people have.

  • I enjoyed additional depth of typical life challenges, including financial, physical, spiritual social (like how to get a date).

  • My faith in God increased, as did my confidence that even life’s biggest obstacles can be overcome.

  • I know I can get through almost anything.

  • I became very passionate about health.

  • I now have the opportunity to help others going through similar trauma’s.

Rich goes on to say:

“Today, 27 years later, my life is not without problems.  They continue to come, and I have even more great stories about the difficulties in life. However, My son, is healthy, my family is healthy, I am healthy, and I’m still very confident God is in control.  I don’t know if I would want to go through another life experience like my airplane crash again, but having already been through it, I know the benefits that came from it, it made the whole ordeal beyond worthwhile and I feel very fortunate I got to experience it.”

THANK YOU Rich for being real! Being you! And for being a living testament that “Life is to be enJOYed, not JUST endured.”

Cole_and_dadRich and his son Cole

A Follow Up to A Very Real Matter: Same-Sex Attraction

It’s only been two weeks since I held my breath as my finger hovered over that publish button to “A Very REAL Matter: Same-Sex Attraction”.  My stomach ached as I dug even deeper, to muster additional courage to share to Facebook and Twitter.  Fear of how the public would react to my son’s vulnerability and to my motherly plea to the world to reinvest in kindness.

The response has been over-whelming. Our inboxes inundated with positive emails, messages and phone calls, along with a long stream of comments beneath the many social media shares.  We thank you from the bottom of our heart for your kind and supportive messages, your openness, AND for sharing the video and post with others.

(If you have no idea what I am talking about, STOP and take a few minutes

to watch the video and original article.)

The message we had hoped would shine through was validated with comments such as…

“Thank you so much for sharing this video. It touched our hearts, and we cried all the way through it. This is exactly our son’s story as well. We are learning everyday as a family. Thanks for your words and lessons. It has helped so much!!!”

“I agree that whether we agree or disagree with same-sex attractions, we can ALL be kinder and more compassionate about it.”

“Wow. I was deeply touched AND educated. Thank you to you and Sean for taking the time to open up about this subject. I needed the lesson on being less judgmental and more loving.”

A great number of the responses mirrored my son’s story having received an outpouring of  love, empathy and compassion. Others experienced  rejection, and still others live in fear of telling their parents, or sharing their secret with anyone.

Hundreds thanked us for helping them see things in a different perspective.

One father confessed,  “I haven’t spoken to my gay son in four years.”  He humbly added,  “I can see I have been doing it wrong.”  He committed to send his son a text that simply said, “I love you”.

Bullseye! That was our intention!

It’s rewarding to hear that hearts are healing, families reuniting and lives being saved.  It’s a start.

Some people questioned the need to even have this discussion asking, “Why would anyone not accept a person just because of their sexual orientation?”

Another person confessed, “I was brought up to believe you only accept gays if they do not act upon their desires.”

I must confess…

I cried as I read the many heart-wrenching emails that claimed they had often gone to bed crying and pleading with God to please not let THIS be their challenge. Praying “Please take my eye sight, my hearing, my legs, ANYTHING in place of being gay.”

Heart wrenching.

The most common patterns I noticed within the mass of emails were… 

1) The internal conflict between their natural feelings they did not choose, and their religious beliefs.  Leaving them wondering, “Does God love me?” 

2) The most difficult step seemed to be admitting to him or her self that number one, this was not going away, and number two, this was a real part of who they were.

Then REAL fear steps in…

 “Who do I tell?  Do I tell my parents? HOW do I tell my parents? How will they react?”

And the biggest fear of all – “What if they reject me?”

This leads to the next big dilemma…

Is it okay to date someone I am attracted to, or do I continue to date someone of the opposite sex to appear normal?  Do I live a life of celibacy? Is it possible to meet someone of the opposite sex who will marry me?

Many emails (too many) contained confessions that ending their life seemed like the best and only option. And many shared they had already attempted to take their life.  No one should feel ending their life is their only or best option. Never. Ever.

It was heartbreaking to read the many emails from parents and gay young men and women who expressed they had become disillusioned and angry with God and many claiming to be atheist.

                 I wish I had a magic wand to calm the hearts of those who live in fear of telling their parents or sharing their secret with anyone, fear of  disappointment and of being rejected. 

The happiest and most positive emails were from gay young men and women who believed in God and had loving family support. 

The happiest expressed gratitude in having parents who loved them unconditionally. Just knowing their parents loved them seemed to make a huge difference.

My heart is full and I fight back the tears. I never imagined this is what I would learn and experience when I pushed that “publish”. But I am grateful. Grateful to know that hundreds and perhaps thousands now know they are not alone and they have a friend in me and my son.  My inbox is filled with people who just want to fit in, to be understood and feel loved.

My plea to the world is to reinvest in kindness, compassion and charity. We all could do a little better don’t you think? I know I could.