The further I sank into depression, the more I withdrew from my relatives, friends and fans. Even after confiding in a few loved ones, the stigmas around mental health issues led to some of them distancing themselves, leaving me reliant on my depressed, angry, unpredictable man. For the first time in my adult life, I experienced what it felt like to be unimportant.
At the time when so many people stepped away, Keisha stepped up. She cried with me over the loss of my son. She confronted my man and demanded he be accountable and stand by me while I navigated my recovery from depression. She communicated with my family on my behalf. She rallied the friends of mine who were concerned and kept them informed, making sure I knew they were there for me, too. She hustled and found ways to help with money when I was so broke I could barely afford co-pays when I went to the doctor.
The REAL Reason People Hide their Mental Health Issues
I made this vid to not only explain the real reason why people stay quiet about mental health issues (like depression) but also to explain why it shouldn't stop them from breaking their silence.If you have a story about what it's like to have to hide your mental health issues, SHARE IT. #StopTheStigmaMy Twitter/Instagram: @NikkiLynette My Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/nikkilynetteMy Story: http://ow.ly/E5Oj307Afop
Posted by Nikki Lynette on Wednesday, January 4, 2017
When my guy sat in our home and barely said two words for weeks at a time, Keisha would talk with me on the phone for hours about everything from my therapy sessions to my desire to get back to making music. Depressed people have a tendency to be selfish, unable to see a world outside of our own pain. There were times when Keisha felt helpless, scared and unappreciated. But she stayed. And with her help, I rediscovered myself.
Keisha told me that being suicidal did not define me, and that one day my story would help people. Through my ups and downs, my progress and setbacks, she kept it all private. Nobody knows all we have been through; I still can’t talk about much of it. Nobody knew all she had done for me, until now.
Nowadays, Keisha and I laugh and joke around a lot. We have plans to travel to LA this month. People tend to back away when someone has depression. But my best friend coming closer saved my life. She crawled into the quicksand with me and pulled me out. I am living proof that one strong person can make all the difference in the life of a person battling depression.