How It Starts....

I'm quite distressed right now.  Not because of my own mental state, but because of the mental state of someone very close to me.

I'm not going to name names here (for privacy reasons of course).  I'm certain this posting will get to her at some point.

However, I've been quite concerned about her for a few days now.  I know I'm pretty new in her life, and I don't feel it's my place to say much, or anything at all.
But, if I were to sit down with her, and have a heart-to-heart, I'd explain to her that what she's currently going through, I dealt with a few years ago:

There were days when all I wanted to do was cry.  Not for any particular reason.  I just wanted to cry.  My heart would begin to beat rapidly in my chest... Almost like a panic attack. 

There were days when I didn't leave my house.  Some of those days, I didn't even leave my bedroom.  However, most days, (like her), I managed to drag my ass out of bed, and go to the gym.  I didn't want to.  I knew that.  The ONLY reason I went every day was because I was banking on those endorphins in my brain to do their intended job.  Sometimes it worked.  Sometimes it didn't.

On occasion, I would go out with a few of my friends.  Despite my best attempts to hide my demons from them, they easily saw through my failed disguise.  They would often have fun things planned (mainly for my benefit).  Even though I was out with my best friends, doing incredibly fun things, 95% of the time I would rather have been anywhere else. 

More often than not, despite where I was, or went, I wanted to be elsewhere.  When I was with people, I wanted to be alone.  When I was alone, I wanted to be with people, to feel their friendship and their love.

There were days, that despite my best efforts, and the best efforts of my nearest and dearest, I felt like I'd never be cheerful again. 
I imagine that's how my new friend is feeling.

I also found, that despite the horror stories I'd heard, Talk Therapy worked wonders for me.  And, for a time, the therapy, with a daily dose of St. John's Wort was enough to keep my demons at bay.

For the time being, that worked well enough.  However, do to certain events, the St. John's Wort just didn't cut it any more.  I learned that after taking larger and larger doses.  So, I bit the bullet, and went to see my doctor.  As a result, I'm now on Cipralex, and feeling about a thousand times better!!

Granted, for the first week or so that I was on the Cipralex, I wasn't myself.  I felt kind of like a zombie.  Just existing.  Not really IN the moment... If you know what I mean?  Just kind of 'being'. 

Needless to say, I got through it, as she will.  Several of the people I grew up with didn't get through it.  They lost their battle with Mental Illness.  That's a battle no one ever needs to lose.  I came close a few times.  But talking about it helped.  I don't mean just talking with my therapist either.  I decided to open up to almost everyone in my life. 
Mental Illness is just that:  An illness.  Like MS, a cold, or Cancer.  If treated correctly, you can overcome it, and live a very long, healthy and productive life.  More often than not, you can, and WILL beat it.

Good luck.