Try to understanding depression and mental health problems.

When you're upbeat and cheerful

everyone will flock towards you

and want to be around you.

As happiness spreads joy.

And misery just wants company.

When you are depressed, down

and miserable. Most people will

give you a wide berth.

The part reason, they just don't want to

be bothered with depressed or sad people

as they see them as to much work.

And also they will feel they will drag them down in

their own emotional state of mind.

So easy to ignore them,  and avoid them

to get the full benefit of not getting involved.

And staying upbeat in their own life.

Or it could also be they just don't know how

to communicate with them.

To make them feel better in general.

As when someone is down or depressed.

They really do have trouble concentrating,

and understanding sometimes or even listening

properly to what someone is saying to them.

Well in my case. That happens. It's like my

brain and ears don't fully work.

Or I interpreted what someone said to me

as something totally different.

It's like you lose your self-worth, mental capabilities

and start to be a full-on introvert and take yourself

away from everyone and life included.

Depression is an illness that to look at someone

from the outside, you think Oh they are okay.

Just a miserable so and so.

Smile and you will feel better.

It just does not work that way.

If you had a broken leg or arm

anyone would physically see it.

But with a messed up brain.

It's hard to see and fully understand

or relate to someone suffering.

unless you also suffer from something

similar then you can relate big time.

So spare a thought for someone with

emotional and mental health problems

as they really don't want to be that way

at all.

And no it's not contagious.

Reviews

[kentuck14]

Dawn,
You say it all so well . . . I suffered from clinical depression forty some years ago . . . it was hell on earth.
But a gracious God got me threw it . . . though I didn't know it at the time. My youngest daughter (36) suffers from periodic depression and anxiety. My latest poem speaks of this. Thanks for making this reality known. I believe as laypeople (non-professional ) we can do little to bring a person out of depression . . . but we can give the support of our company . . . and JUST LISTEN. It's hard work . . . but it's the right thing to do . . . especially if you are close to that person. Real listening brings more comfort than we know. Thanks for speaking on a subject most would rather not bring forth.
Tom

[Onlyme]

Thank you Tom, for your understanding of someone suffer from depression as a layperson. And someone who also suffered from it yourself at one point in yourlife. That means a lot. Dawn.

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

Thanks dawn for all your wise words on this issue great work really good 🤗

[AYVID N]

Depressed people are not the easiest people to be around. Sad, because they need company more than anyone else. Let’s do our best for them. Love your words here, Dawn.

[gram linski]

Another powerful piece, Dawn, your recent work seems to be coming from a dark and dangerous place, hope you are ok, there are many poets here that understand, that know, you've got this far, it's too late to let the b*****d beat you now, hugs.

[Chris Shaw]

Depression is the pits, it is so isolating. So important we look out for it and take care of our friends when we start to see the signs. Friends should be there in good and bad times. Not much of a friend if you ignore them when they need you most. Dear Dawn, you really get down to the nitty gritty with your writes. Thank you for highlighting this issue, it is important.

Chris

[Anjeline]

True friendship is only tested In hard times. Wonderful piece with a phenomenal description of loneliness, depression and mental condition. Really liked it :)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

over many many years i have found out who my real friends are.
ones who are there in the bad times...not just for the partying.
the real friends don't give you that "wide berth"--
instead they nestle up close and protect.
j.