[knights2012]

It does this all the time. My depression comes and goes whenever it pleases. And i don't know why. I can be totally fine one minute, and the next I will be completely depressed. I don't know what triggers it, or how this even happens. I've been really stressed lately. My dad is leaving us because my mom cheated on him. And my mom is acting like a teenager. She doesn't acknowledge that I have a problem, because her mom was in a mental health hospital, she says it's too much to deal with. And I get it, but that doesn't mean that depression just goes away. Just because she ignores it doesn't mean it's happening. Everybody in my house has started drinking again. Even my older brother who is usually my person to talk to. But he's been different lately, and I just can't. I'm on summer break and usually just talk to my school counselor during the school year since she is the one I went to about my suicidal thoughts over a year ago. But I can't control it. Is it normal for this to happen? For depression, and suicidal thoughts to come and stay for a month or so, and then just leave for a couple weeks? It's stressing me out and I can't handle it at all.

[online user]

With your grandmother, might be there is a family susceptibility to genetic mental illness. If you are depressed from a partially genetic basis, you may have to deal with depression off and on throughout your life. The plus is, that you seem to sense your moods and have identified your trouble. You also seem savvy enough to know whom you can trust and whom you can't. I think both these things are VERY positive and will help you deal with this. Just think of your depression as a disease, like diabetes. You need to care for yourself and look out for yourself, just as the diabetic would. And, like the diabetic, if you take care of yourself and pay attention to your disease and what treatment you need, you will live a long and productive, mostly happy life. Don't be too hard on yourself--things like the stress you are under will be pulling you down. But you can do things, little things, to please yourself. Take a bubblebath, go for a walk outside, listen to music you like. Take care of yourself, for you--you are worth it! I do believe you will be fine--you have a good start I think.