Hello Ladies of SGRho!!
I, too, suffer from depression. It's funny, because I was just talking about this with one of my sorors yesterday. Many times, we as Black women don't want to talk about our issues because not only does it make us look weak, but we also don't want to appear needy. At least, that's my take on it. It is something that I battle with daily, and so I don't really want to bombard people with it on the regular. I am one of those people who internalizes almost everything. Now, I have learned to talk to people when I can see things going where I don't want them to go (staying in bed, not going to work, not answering my phone, insomnia, inexplicable crying spells, etc.). After you've suffered from depression for as long as I have (almost 8 years), you can tell when it's about to take a turn for the worst, and that's when it's important to know that you are loved. I used to be really embarrassed about my depression, and only recently have I been able to talk about it openly.
You have no idea how good it will make your friends feel if you drop them a note in the mail (even if they're in the same city) just to say you are thinking of them or that you love them. And a phone call is good, too. Let the people close to you know that they make a difference in your life, many times people who suffer from depression feel like they aren't loved, and that if there were gone, they wouldn't be missed. It helps a lot to know that you are wanted, needed, and loved by other people. It really does.
[This message has been edited by Ideal08 (edited February 06, 2001).]