Mental illness is not a sign of weakness - audio interview

CLICK here to hear a quick interview about why I felt I wanted to talk about depression. You can also see some of the lovely comments people have left. (Scroll down to see them all.)

I'm not over-enamoured by the picture itself (well, would you be?) but am delighted to have helped spread the message that recovering from depression is possible - and illness is not your fault. [Linda] 

Comments

[notSupermum]

I have been dealing with depression for years - 10 years in fact, since having post-natal depression after my second daughter was born I have been unable to shake it off completely.

I seem to go through good and bad periods, and I can tell when I'm about to enter a particularly bad period - it's like a black cloud descending on me, and nothing can change it. I take anti-depressents during these times, but originally I was reluctant to take them (there's confirmation the Something Is Wrong). I would urge anyone who is struggling with depression to see their GP and get some help, because that's usually what you need: help. And seeking out that help is a sign of strength.

[Tattie Weasle]

Depression is a curious thing or at least I find mine is: I was finally diagnosed in 1992, in 1998 I did my first Arctic walk, the following year I became the first of two English women to trek all the way to the Magnetic North Pole (Supported). My illness marks me out as weak but I don't know too many people who could have done that. Last year I ran the Marathon - all of these things prove that having a mental illness does not mean you are weak in any way!