– A woman describes her long battle with depression

Hello Everyone,
I hope this week has treated you well. Today, I will talk about the success story of a woman who overcame abuse, loneliness, high anxiety and depression. She contacted me and wished to share her story with the hope that it will encourage others who have been through similar situations to seek help. I thank her very much for giving me this opportunity to share her story.
Tina (name changed) was born and raised in North West, Region 1 and lived with her family.
Tina had a tragic start in life as she was sexually abused at the age of three and then again at age eight, and began suffering from high anxiety and depression.
She felt sad and scared and was unable to sleep and was underperforming at school.
She was not willing to open up to anyone and as a result she did not have any friends. She started withdrawing from everyone, including her family. Only her mother knew what had happened and how it was affecting her.
At the age of 5, her depression and anxiety started to affect her physically and resulted in constant headaches and nausea. She needed her back rubbed repeatedly or she wouldn’t be able to function. She saw many doctors, who to her family’s surprise, reported that there was nothing physically wrong with her.
This way of life continued into her teenage years- she wasn’t doing well.
She moved to Georgetown to attend Secondary School, leaving her family back in Region 1. Even though she spent a lot of time studying, she was not doing well in school. She was living with her aunt at the time and she had no will nor was motivation to do chores at home or anything at all that productive.
She knew she was depressed, but she still had no friends. She didn’t want any boyfriends or male friends in her life at all.
Eventually, her mental health issues became so serious that she was forced to drop out of school at age 16 and return back home to North West. Tina lived with her family but still was not able to work to make a living for herself. During this time, she contemplated suicide many times but her faith and love for her family thankfully stopped her. This way of life continued for a few years.

“It was like at the age of three I was sent into exile. Now I am set free after spending forty three years in exile and finally feel like my true self.”

When she was 21, a nun on a religious outreach visited her community in the interior. She asked Tina a question: “How do you feel when you see your boyfriend?” Tina explained to her that she had no boyfriend and that just thinking of one made her “feel like vomiting.”The nun was concerned about Tina’s answer and spent a little more time with her. After a lengthy conversation, she recommended that Tina be seen by a psychiatrist.
It wasn’t until two years later when Tina returned to Georgetown on a religious retreat that she took the advice. The church community she volunteered with made an appointment for her, which she was happy to attend as she felt the depression was ruining her life.
She felt “stripped of her human dignity” and was willing to do anything to get help. She was given medication by the psychiatrist and told to return in a month, which she did. When she returned to see the doctor a month later, with not much improvement, he recommended a change of environment and advised her to make a more permanent move to Georgetown.
She took his advice and moved in with the church community. She continued to see this doctor for a year and recalled the medication helping her to sleep but didn’t make her feel generally better.
At age 30, the church community asked her to go and see another doctor as she was still visibly depressed. During this time, she was still suffering from terrible migraines and hence was willing to do as they suggested. This doctor also focused on medication so Tina found it had minimal benefits.
It wasn’t until two years later, when Tina was referred to a female counsellor that she started to feel better. She was able to talk about her life’s experiences and examine where exactly she needed help.
Although she still wasn’t able to have intimate relationships, she recalled feeling 60% better. Tina suffered so much that she remembers the exact day when she felt free. It was June 21st 2015 at the age of 46.
“Before that day, I felt completely separated from the world. It was like at the age of three I was sent into exile. Now I am set free after spending forty three years in exile and finally feel like my true self,” she stated.
Today, Tina is happy, working and able to form healthy relationships. She is educating herself by studying office administration at government institution in Georgetown. She is happy that she is able to study and focus, something she couldn’t do all her life. She is happy that she did not give up on her life, despite years of struggling.
She sat in front of me- happy, successful and confident/secure with who she is.
I know that a great number of people have experienced what Tina has. Her advice is that counselling helps the most- it’s important to talk about your feelings and experiences. Keeping it inside will result in both mental and physical pain. She hopes her story brings strength to others- to allow them to speak out and get help, rather than give up. Happiness and success takes time, patience and the will to seek help. Do not give up.
Remember that you can reach out to our nearest health centre or come see me personally at Georgetown Public Hospital.

If you would like to share your story, please write in to caitlinvieira@gmail.com or let me know what else you would like to talk about. The numbers for the Suicide Prevention Helpline are 223-0001, 223-0009, 623-4444, 600-7896. Don’t be afraid to seek help.
Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always!