I feel alone

Question: I have a large family, but I feel totally alone. I have a lot of "friends," but it doesn't seem like they really care. I just wish that I knew what to do about it. My wife thinks I might have a medical condition, depression, or something. What I am not sure about is what I can do about it? What can I do to not feel so totally alone? I am sick of facing this alone, and I am not sure whom to turn to.

Answer: Feeling alone when you are surrounded by people that love you can certainly being a sign of a more serious condition such as depression, but it could also be a number of other things, such as not connection well or communicating well. If your family loves you, and your wife is trying to be supportive, and you still feel alone, chances are you do have depression, even if it is only a mild form. Of course, you will want to talk to a doctor about this.

There are millions of people who suffer from depression. It is not a medical condition only for those with bad genes, or for people who suffered a major tragedy, depression affects millions, and can make you feel completely alone.

If you find that you are feeling alone, consider some of the other signs of depression and determine if any of them are applicable to your situation. Consult with a physician, and decide if you need treatment.

There are two basic courses of action you can take if you have depression. You can get treatment in the form of medicine, or in the form of therapy. A third option is to do a combination of the two, and this tends to be the most advisable option. Medication can help you find faster results, and therapy can help you eliminate the things from your life that are causing the depression, and help you develop the skills to handle it when you do so that it does not escalate to something serious, such as harming yourself or others.

If you are feeling alone, or like no one is understanding you, consider finding a support group. There are typically several you could join, and if there is not one in your area there are several online. Sometimes this can help you see that you are not the only one feeling this way, and you can get useful solutions from people who have tried things and found success in dealing with the symptoms of depression. It also helps to find people who are sympathetic to what you are going through. You can talk to a doctor or therapist about the support groups locally, and visit the web to find them.

The following are a few support groups and groups that help with depression that you can contact for help:

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
(formerly the National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association )
730 North Franklin, Suite 501
Chicago, IL 60601-7204
Toll-free: (800) 826-3632
E-mail: chapters@dbsalliance.org
https://www.dbsalliance.org/

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
Colonial Place Three
2107 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201-3042
Toll-free: (800) 950-NAMI (950-6264). This is a helpline that offers referrals to local support groups.
Phone: (703) 524-7600
TDD: (703) 516-7227
https://www.nami.org

National Foundation for Depressive Illness, Inc.
P.O. Box 2257
New York, NY 10116
Toll-free: (800) 239-1265
Support group information line: (800) 248-4344
https://www.depression.org/

National Mental Health Association
2001 North Beauregard Street, 12th Floor
Alexandria, VA 22311
Toll-free: (800) 969-NMHA (969-6642)
Phone: (703) 684-7722
TTY: (800) 433-5959
E-mail: infoctr@nmha.org
https://www.nmha.org
To seek a referral online, visit
https://www.nmha.org/infoctr/help/index.cfm

You are not alone, so start taking the steps to recovery so that you can believe it too!