Depression

DISCLAIMER: Dawson McAllister Live does not engage in professional counseling of any sort. The resources that you are about to view are for support and guidance only. They are not intended to give authoritative advice, nor should they be seen as a replacement for professional counseling. These resources are best seen as a beginning point for those who are interested in getting help.

WARNING: The audio clips and stories contained in these resources may cause emotional pain to those who are struggling with the issues discussed.

Welcome to The HopeLine Virtual Coach for the issue of Depression. Below you will find stories, information, and resources dealing with the issue. Before you get started with the Virtual Coach, please listen to a DMLive caller talk to Dawson about his struggle with Depression. To hear the call, please click here.


Cameron’s Story

Cameron sits in his car, staring out the windshield. He wonders if he will ever be happy again. For awhile now Cameron has noticed that he has lost energy and that very few things excite, or even interest him. He used to be pretty happy most of the time; but not now. The worst part is that Cameron does not know why he feels so sad. He just feels like a black cloud is around him. As a result, all Cameron wants to do is sit around and do nothing. Sometimes he cries, but mostly he just stares off into space. In the secret of his heart he sometimes wishes he could go to sleep at night and never wakeup. Even though people try to encourage him and ask him to do things with them, Cameron typically refuses and just spends more and more time alone. In addition to feeling down much of the time, Cameron has been losing his patience with his friends and his parents. Not long ago he snapped at his best friend over something small, which only led to feelings of guilt and more sadness. Cameron feels like something has got to change soon or he does not know what he will do.

Your Story

Do you feel sad and depressed? Everyone has bad days and mood swings, but for some people the sad feelings seem to be a major part of their lives. Remember, depression is typically more than just a short-term feeling based upon a life event, it is a medical diagnosis and can often be treated with counseling and/or medication, depending upon the seriousness of the individual case. Depression can be caused by a number of things including long-lasting life stress, a traumatic event, long-term grief, or a chemical imbalance in your brain. Depression can feel like more than sadness, too. Some people experience depression as anger or irritability while others experience depression as though they were tired all of the time. In some cases, people who are depressed have no sense of hope, lack motivation, lose interest in activities that they used to enjoy, and may be in danger of attempting suicide. Whatever the symptoms, depression should be taken seriously and you will need to reach out for help if you are feeling some of these things. This may be very difficult for you, however, because many people who are depressed pull away from their friends and family, blocking out those people who care most about them. Perhaps you have noticed that you would rather just be alone and not have to be around others. If this is the case, then you will need to work very hard to overcome this. Probably, your depression has already brought about significant changes in your appetite and /or sleeping patterns. If you believe that you are suffering from depression then this Virtual Coach is for you: hope exists and help is available! Return to the Virtual Coach Menu.