depression. i have it.

Haven’t posted in a while as a lot of my attention has been towards family and my TikTok ( @sthooch ).

I was diagnosed last week with severe depression. Now, most of the time I feel happy and ok but depression can disguise itself and be tricky to deal with.

Let’s start at the Beginning

It seems as though when your body goes through a traumatic experience, like an accident, surgery, etc., it can “unlock” certain things in your mind. Memories, neurological feelings and emotional changes can be part of these changes.

For years I have dealt with personal dissonance which I will not go into detail at this time. After my surgery, things changed drastically in regards to these challenges and has amplified them to the point I now have panic attacks and suffer from PTSD.

But you were not in the military so how do you have PTSD?

No. I was not on the military. In fact, I hate saying I have PTSD because I do not want to make light of those soldiers that do have it.

The truth is that anyone can have PTSD. I am not clinically diagnosed with it, but when certain types of music cause me to have to pull my car over because I am hyperventilating, then I would say it fits in that category.

What is your depression and PTSD caused from?

I will not say or go into detail at this time. I will tell my story, however today is not that day. If you are overly concerned and need to know something, drop me a line. I will not promise all details but may get you in the right direction.

Are you going to hurt yourself or others?

No. I am not a danger to myself or anyone else. For the most part you would not be able to tell if you were around me much. I am not laying in a dark corner by myself sucking my thumb in the fetal position.

How are you dealing with it?

I am in the process of scheduling an appointment with a therapist.

Something else I truly love doing is sharing my Disney experiences through TikTok (@sthooch), Facebook and Instagram. It keeps me distracted at the moment and gives me purpose.

It’s hard recovering from a major surgery. I still have months and months to go. I tend to overdo it a bit and then have to relax a few days for downtime.

What can I do to help you?

Nothing. One thing I will ask is that if you do not feel right or know someone who doesn’t, do not hesitate to see a doctor.

Everything gets better!

Here is a few great resources:

Suicide Hotline: 800-273-8255

MentalHelp.net https://www.mentalhelp.net/depression/hotline/

Thanks to everyone for your support!