Hello
Thank you all for having and participating in this forum. I am beginning to reach out for help regarding this depression that I've been experiencing for most of my life. I never "labeled" it before, but my wife helped me to realize what I was truly going through. I'm blessed to have her in my life.
She is the first one that didn't blame ME.
Well, it took a while for us to realize it was something deeper than just me being a Jerk, but thank God she is in my life and figured it out before I acted on my self loathing. I am struggling to open up and be honest with myself, with her, and potentially with any therapist I might find.
I'm afraid of my emotions, my potential obstacles, and not being a good enough man to be a husband to my wife and father to my 3 young boys... grasping for help :(
Firstly, I want to welcome you to our humble community! :)
It took a lot of courage for you to seek help for something so new to you, still. You could have refused to accept this new possibility but you faced it head on even though you weren't quite sure what you would see - and for that, I applaud you. Takes a lot of courage but most of all, it speaks well of you as a husband and as a father. I understand you are afraid of not being a good enough man to be a husband to your wife and a father to your young boys, but I believe you drew this immense amount strength from your love for them. And that speaks volumes.
I am very glad to see you are seeking out a professional and recommend it whole heartedly. I have been in counseling off and on since I was very young and am well aware of how life changing it can be. If I may offer advice, do not be afraid to be picky when choosing a therapist. A huge part of therapy relies on the connection between the person and his/her therapist. It also relies on your comfortableness with discussing hard topics and digging deep and while this is difficult, it isn't as difficult if you're speaking to someone you trust and you connect with. You are discussing things that affect your future, you are allowed to be picky.
As for this wonderful site, please feel free to explore it to your heart's content. The forums are a great place to reach out to people, as are the Group Chats. There are wonderful Guided Discussions every single day and you can find the schedule for them by clicking on the Calendar link up top! If you need a listening ear, the 1-on-1 chats have helped many people and you can choose the person you speak to by clicking on the "Browse Listeners" (http://www.7cups.com/BrowseListeners/) .
I hope you find the answers you seek and the peace you and your family deserve. Welcome to 7 cups of tea. :)
@hemant1997, welcome! I'm glad that you've joined us ^^ I'm Celaeno, and I also struggle with depression. It's very nice to meet you.
@ValentineLove already spoke everything what my simple heart wanted to tell you. I just want to emphasize how great it is that you seek support for yourself. Your attentiveness towards loved ones, wanting to give them the best possible care is sweet and lovely. It is a sign of strength and character, and something you can cling to in the darker times.
I'm happy that you've reached out to this community. If you'd like to, please tell us how are you feeling today. We'd love to hear it.
Take good care of yourself. And see you around!
