I brushed my teeth today, twice. Still didn't shower but I did continue to look for work. I'm thinking about going into a short term residential crisis center kind of thing. I could come and go as I please except at night. No doctors or nurses are there, just staff that keeps an eye on ya and makes sure the meds are being taken correctly. So far I've managed almost a week taking my meds every day but I don't always do that.
I have been battling MDD most of my life and have gone on an off meds for long periods of time. I was first diagnosed with Chronic Depression back in 1991 (after 2 years of working with a counselor) and have been struggling with it ever since. It's just always been there so I guess I got used to it. It didn't get really bad until last March when I lost yet another job to corporate downsizing. I got suicidal and my best friend (who lives 800 miles away) talked me into going to the hospital. I stayed 7 days, got out, went back in a day or two later for 10 days then tried to suicide and was on the med unit for a day then back up in The Bin for another 10 days.
I'm angry that I have this horrible "thing" wrapped around me like an albatross. I can barely remember the person I used to be before this. I know I used to be a writer. My partner still sees me in here somewhere but I sure don't.
On a more positive note, I brushed my teeth today -- twice and I only cried a little when my MCRT (Mobile Crisis Response Unit) was here. I cried more when my partner and I talked about what we might need to do if I can't find a job. She can't afford this place on her salary alone so we're thinking about finding a slum-lord rental in the hood that she "can" afford while I look for work and get going on filing for disability. Fortunately I live in a largish city that has resources for people like us...the mentally ill. God, what a stigmatic two words those are. Mentally Ill. My mom thinks it's a bad idea for me to file disability under the heading of mental illness because she thinks the stigma is going to follow me for the rest of my life. She doesn't understand the illness and keeps trying to be my cheerleader to a better me. Ugh...
Thanks for the encouragement. I still haven't showered but maybe I'll have the energy to do it tomorrow. We'll see.