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You Can Overcome Depression

Depression is a disease that strikes many from all walks of life. It affects young and old, rich and poor, the educated and the not so educated. I suffered from depression for twenty years and overcame it. I have used my experiences with depression along with my faith and belief in the power of positive thinking to beat the odds and lick the illness. I have developed a website designed to reach others who are still suffering from depression. In it I use the power of prayer and positive thinking but recognize the contribution of medical science. My domain is www.thkugod.com.

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From Desperation to Aspiration

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Contributed by: Winifred Johnson on 9/28/2009

Things weren't suppose to turn out like they did. After all, I had all of the elements needed to live a "happy ever after life." Don't get me wrong, life was not a bowl of cherries but I was a happy, intelligent, articulate, popular and attractive young woman.
I marched merrily along through a childhood that began humbly but escalated to the point that I was a person to reckon with during the middle and high school years. I grew up in Martin County during the days of Jim Crow. Now, for the younger crowd that means I was denied certain rights because I was African American. No matter that my background was checkered with strains from Ireland, the West Indies and other places.
I graduated from high school as valedictorian of the class and picked up a crown to boot when I was elected Miss Murray High School. You see, at the time of my matriculation it was a high school for African Americans.
My education was continued at Tennessee State University where I majored in Speech Audiology and Pathology. I enjoyed my college years. I was enrolled in the honors program and graduated with University Honors.
Fast forward to the post collegiate years. Things started declining soon after college. My engagement to the star football player at TSU fell apart. He lived in New Orleans and I was a beginning teacher in Miami. So, I ended up marrying someone with whom I had little in common. I lived a stormy existence until my divorce five years later. I had a beautiful reminder of the relationship in the form on a daughter.
Things went from bad to worse as the cliche goes. I returned to Martin County to lick my wounds and lived in the house of my parents. They accepted me with opened arms. I started substitute teaching at Martin County High. That assignment lead to full time employment in the English Department where I taught everything from Journalism to Debate. That was during the time when Caucasians did not expect to see an African American teach Grammar, of all things. That job started a kinship in the school district that exists even now that I am retired.
It was at Martin County High that depression lifted its ugly head. The late Wanda Yarboro was a caring, sensitve leader who gave me time to recover. I left MCHS and ended up returning to my roots, that is, working as a Speech Language Pathologist assigned to Warfield Elementary. There I joined a warm, loving staff with such leaders as Essie Rains, Raymond Parrish and the present principal, Lorene Fracescani. Hope I got the spelling correct.
I spent many years at Warfield where I had frequent bouts with depression. The school district was wonderful. Admittedly, I did my job well but they went out of their way to help me. After each episode they welcomed me back and my friend Ellen Fox was there to help, along with Steve Lewis.Dr. Joyce Holmes never doubted my ability to perform, or at least I was never aware of it. I owe all of them a lot.
I took an early retirement seven years ago. Things have been going well since then. Many factors played a role in my recovery. I made some lifestyle changes, some changes in medication and altered my attitude. Not to mention grow in faith.
Since retirement I have been so busy that I wonder how I ever had time to work. I became active in church and civic organizations and became grandmother to twins. Presently, I am returning to my Journalism roots. I also just started a website that I developed with God's help and advice from my cousin, Connie.
The website's domain is www.thkugod.com. It features prayers that lift the spirits of the depressed. The idea for the website is an original one. It is designed for believers but can benefit those who are not Christians nor have a desire to become such. The prayers are unique in that they reflect basic bible history and I weave my own experiences into them.
I posted the first prayer today and hope to post a different one each day. If you have tried everything else, augment your efforts with help available at my website. I am not a counselor nor do I profess to be one. I am not advocating that you stop taking medication or seeking professional help. This is the extra mile.
On my CONTACT US PAGE, you can send me messages. Your identity will be kept confidential. You must provide your name and e-mail address in order for the message to reach me. I will not contact you but will pray for you. I consider this effort to be part of a ministry. I have not been ordained by man but by God. If to minister means to serve others, then I am qualified. And what better equips me to do this work than the fact that I have BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT.

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