One of the key reasons for starting LE was my personal episode with depression that left me wallowing in the deepest wallows of my mundane existence. I penned a poem that I feel describes the pain that the depressed undergo.
Feeling alone
Yet crowded with thoughts
Wanting help
Yet shutting people out
Donning a calm mask
Yet screaming inside out
A sharp sense of contradiction
Torments the depressed soul
A sense of helplessness
Spiralling down the slippery slope
Loved ones miss the signs
Preferring nonchalance
Days, months or years pass
Yet the pain hardly ceases
One fine day
A fatal decision made
Shock, denial and pain
Reluctant acceptance
Pain lingers
In the living and the dead…
Fortunately, with the love and support of friends, family and the Universe, I managed to pull myself through this dark period of my life and did not make “a fatal decision”, unlike many others. Without their support, I wouldn’t be physically here, writing this column.
People need to understand that depression is not a weakness, but a condition that can be alleviated. We need to start focusing on what is good and positive in our lives, instead of emphasizing on what is wrong. We are responsible for our own happiness and life choices.
As I look back and see how I have personally progressed to this stage of my life, several aspects become key:
- Love – Love from my friends & family and me loving them back.
- Hope – Believing that life will become better.
- Light – Light that shone from the people who loved me and helped me regain my inner shine. Light from God/ the Universe who led me on the right path again.
I want to help spread these 3 aspects to the people who need it. To people who need all the love, hope and light possible to climb themselves out of the dark. Do you have some to spare?
With much love, hope & light,
Frieda
xoxo
Chat with Frieda at frieda@le.com.sg or Follow her on Facebook (Friederike Loh)!