Hi and welcome to our blog! In the future I hope to talk about different issues surrounding depression and mental health and pretty much whatever else takes my fancy but for this entry I thought I’d tell you a little about Richard and I, and why Richard decided to write “Now that you are back”.

Richard and I met when we were kids. Our parents were at the same church and we went to the same primary school. However we weren’t too fond of each other growing up. It wasn’t until we were about 18, when Richard drove me home from a music festival (normally a 2 hour drive but Richard “got lost” and it took a lot longer) that we hit it off and sparks began to fly. It took a further three months before we got together. It wasn’t long after that we both realized we had something pretty special and that we were keen to get married as soon as possible.

During the time we were dating I started to experience panic attacks. This is basically an anxiety overload. There were a number of issues that triggered the first panic attack but it was not long until only the smallest thing would set off a panic attack. (To find out more read ‘Now that you are back‘). With help I managed to get the panic attacks under control but only a couple of years later I developed Clinical Depression. The depression was even more debilitating than the panic attacks and it overtook our life.

I remember in the peak of the depression feeling totally alone and overwhelmed. I remember many times thinking this will never end. Richard had similar feelings as he watched me struggle with the depression. Some years later when we were talking about this period of time, one of us expressed how helpful it would have been to have met people who had overcome depression. If we couldn’t meet them, then at least read someone else’s story. It was then that we realised that maybe we could offer this to other people. Richard and I had been to the lowest of lows but what we thought would be of more encouragement to people would be the fact that we had come out on top!

A number of people have already said to me (before the book has even been launched), “don’t you think it’s a bit scary having everyone knowing your story?”. It is a bit scary that people I may have never met, know a lot of stuff about me, but Richard and I both think it’s worth it. Our hope is that through this book people will see that not only can there be life after depression, but there can be growth through depression and that you can come out a stronger and deeper person than you started.

We look forward to sharing our story with you!

alison.