Depression is not something you just get over. Since being diagnosed with severe chronic depression almost 20 year ago, I have heard every possible good natured “cure” imaginable. “You can just get over it.” It’s just feelings.” “Have you prayed about it”. “Other people have it worse than you do.” “Be a man.” “Read your Bible more.” The list does go on and some of them even work for a short period of time, but not for long.
When he attempted suicide by drug overdose I realized something more serious was going on. He planned it so we would be there to see him suffer. That angered me a lot because Dad was supposed to be around to take care of us. We had no idea he needed to be taken care of. He was admitted to a Mental Institution for a few weeks. We didn’t talk about what happened to anyone. We were told Dad was” crazy” and that was all we knew. While he was in the hospital I believe Mom made the divorce final and we found ourselves relocating to her new life which pushed Dad further away. We didn’t know what to think or who to turn to for guidance.