Importance of Social Inclusion in Depression
I blogged a couple of days ago, about a bad day, for reasons I did not go into at the time, and I had wonderful supportive responses back from the Community.
I had lost a friend to suicide, and was engulfed with a lot of emotions, and wondered if I could have done more to help him. He had suffered from sever depression over the years, and I suppose the battle just got too hard for him!
My friend felt a sense of aloneness and social exclusion in his community, being a victim of racism throughout his life.
Social inclusion is very important outcome and process to aid the improvement of those suffering with mental illness and in the recovery and reducing relapses of the illness.
Social inclusion is a crucial element in giving social support and networks that help ti improve a persons engagement in the community and increase their self esteem, and ability to cope.
Living a meaningful, satisfying and purposeful life, and being a valued member of society are important elements in recovery depression and other mental health diseases. A sense of connection, and belonging in the community can reduce the sense of isolation, of those suffering with a mental illness. A little help can go a long way!
We have a great online community here, but I am asking for people to offer a helping hand in their local community, and look at social inclusion, in assisting people that may be suffering from depression or other mental illness.
Thanks for reading!
Recent Comments
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Myself and my 2 daughters suffer from this Lisa and fortunately we have each other to help. I understand completely what you mean and wish I could help more people who are suffering.
Good post Lisa, being someone that suffers from depression I can understand about some of how your friend feels. One of my sons friends took his own life at the beginning of the year, he was only 19. It was a hard thing for my son and the rest of us to take in as we knew him well.
Great post, Lisa, it doesn't take a lot of energy to spread some good energy to all we meet throughout the day, you never know it may just be what that person needs at that particular time and so it goes on.
Hi Lisa, my sympathy. I know what you are talking about and this has become the no 1 illness of our time. It is unfortunate that nobody wants to get involved. Fact is people had this illness all through the ages but never realized that it was a killer. Even the great Alexander and Napoleon suffered from mental illness and depression. The big heartache is that people tend to move people with this illness aside thinking that they are not vulnerable but what they don't realize is that they are more a candidate than they think. However it is also sad that when we do encounter these people society tend to move away and leave them to fight for themselves making the situation even worse. These people need love and understanding and most of all encouragement. There are psychiatrists who try to help but the big problem is that you can not share what the ill person are experiencing during one of these spells unless you have been in their shoes yourself and that is where the entire exercise misses the boat. Trying to tell them to remain positive and to look at the bright side does not encourage them on the contrary it makes them become more negative and depressed unless they see actual results and that is where the crux of everything are. The majority of people suffering from depression live with the harshness of reality everyday of there lives and that is what the majority of people on this earth neglect to live with. Good luck and take care of yourself so this don't get you under.
Hi Lisa, yes, feeling you are a part of something is one of the main things that will help, I have suffered depression, so I know how hopeless life can seem to a depressed person. Thank you for the call to arms to help isolated people, just a smile, a nod and a few words can help enormously.:-))
Steph
Thanks for the support, and agree that a simple smile or nod, can certainly make a difference! Thanks, Lisa
So true, I agree. I think we all deserve to be socially included because the opposite is exclusion and that's not on at all, ever.
Some of us just accept inclusion it more readily than others.
Go well Lisa. J
I have a couple of people in my life who have this horrible problem.....one luckily is getting counselling, the isn't quite as radical as your friend. I feel for you Lisa.......
Hi Ecowarrior, I'm sorry for your loss. But as a sufferer of depression I can tell you it's not that easy, we often pretend we don't need any help or isolate ourselves... It's hard to understand. We often don't understand it ourselves. I've written a post about how to help, from the poin of view of a depressed person. hope that will help. http://climbingthecliff.com/help-someone-with-depression
Enjoy,
Marta
Thanks Marta, I am also a long time sufferer of depression, so know where you are coming from, however I think that you still ask yourself the question " Could I have done more" when someone else loses their battle. I really connect with your post, and your site is fantastic!
Regards, Lisa
Hi Roamantic. I have bookmarked your link and will re-read carefully later this week.
I believe that the use of group functionality that is "moderated" can help (ie. on Social Media). It is something I want to explore because I have personal friends who sometimes get 'depressed' or react in what may be not the "norms" we are used to, usually triggered by some family / marriage / relationship issues. By using group and selected participants, it is possible to help (I Think). I believe this is one aspect of "caring" society that I can participate in and help to some extent.
Thank you (& Ecowarrior) too for this discussion
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Thanks for the wake-up call Lisa !!