Was I Born Depressed?
Pamela DeNeuve
Stuck in your legal career or personal life? Let's clarify your goals, overcome obstacles, and enhance your work-life balance.
It Feels Like I Was Born Depressed
I never knew life without depression. Was I born depressed?
I doubt it.
My dad was nineteen years old and my mom was seventeen years old when I was born.
They had a turbulent eighteen-year marriage.
When I was little my parents were so involved in their own chaos that they did not protect me as a little girl.
I was left alone and hit by a car on the head when I was five. It is a miracle that I am alive.
There were many predators around that took advantage of me.
I was unprotected and so at an early age, I suffered trauma silently.
Of course, I didn't know that I was depressed.
It felt like I was experiencing life from the bottom of a can looking up and trying to act as I felt normal.
My Depression
Later, in my thirties, I began to get help and counseling.
I realized that I had completely blocked off all of my childhood memories.
It was a long road to dig myself out of my depression.
My Clients
Many of my clients have also suffered early childhood trauma and early depression.
They were able to overcome their trauma, and the depression became dormant.
The pressure of practicing law with pressures and stresses triggered the old trauma and the depression came back only it was more vicious.
We go through the landmines of the past to create a healing journey to create a strong, vibrant, and thriving law practice.
What about you?
Do You Suffer From Depression?
"Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to emotional and physical problems."
Look For These Signs:
Mental/Emotional Signs?
? Consistently feeling irritable
? Persistent lack of joy
? Sense of emptiness
? Feeling guilty/hopeless
? Difficulty concentrating
? Suicidal ideations
? Feeling anxious
Physical Signs
?? Unintentional shifts in appetite and/or weight
?? Sleep struggles
?? Decreased energy or fatigue
领英推荐
?? Aches or pains in your muscles or joints?
?? Unexplained headaches
?? Cramps, or digestive issues
?? Feeling sluggish
?? Low energy
Why Identifying Your Depression is Important
As we know, depression in the legal profession is widespread, with far-reaching consequences.?
Unfortunately, the stigma of mental illness discourages attorneys from seeking professional help, encouraging them to suffer in silence.
?? Reports have shown that the pandemic has heightened mental health issues among attorneys.
?? For attorneys struggling with lawyer depression, the illness can have devastating personal and professional repercussions.
?? Lawyers are feeling more isolated, overworked, and depressed than ever.
?? Many attorneys believe that being transparent about mental health struggles might negatively affect their careers.
?? It is common to ignore the signs of lawyer depression to be "the perfect lawyer."
?? In reality, unmanaged depression negatively affects an attorney's overall quality of life, making it hard to deal with and concentrate on legal work.
If I Can Recover From Depression, So Can You
You begin, as I did by prioritizing our health and mental well-being as early as possible.
?The earlier you catch the beginning stages of depression, the more effective your treatment and results can be.?
There are no one-size-fits-all solutions for managing depression.
Like I did, therapy and medication can be helpful.
However, in my case and most of my clients, additional support was needed.
Each individual attorneys' symptoms are unique.
Here's How to Begin:
? Manage stress
? Prioritize mental and physical health
? Practice mindfulness
? Join lawyer support groups
? Develop creative hobbies outside of work
? Be open about your struggles
? Seek coaching, therapy, and in some cases, medication is needed as early as possible.
Times have changed and the stigma of seeking help for depression need not hold you back from addressing this issue.
Overcoming depression is necessary to continue to be successful.
My coaching focuses on reducing lawyers' depression, helping their law practices to thrive, and improving their quality of life.?
Direct Message me here on LinkedIn to talk about reviving yourself and/or your law practice today.?
Djenaba Dureus
I help you grow a successful business and enjoy the journey Business Strategy | Coaching | Consulting | Training
2 年Thanks for sharing your experience Pamela as many people suffer from it without even knowing it, as you mention. Your point about the stigma of mental illness getting in the way of many professionals getting the help they need is (unfortunately) still prevalent, even now. Thanks for bring this to light so we all realize that we need to step up for the sake of our wellbeing and reach out.
Lawyer
2 年Leading by example, with excellent wisdom to share.
Nonprofit Coach & Consultant | Empowering Nonprofit Leaders, Boards, and Organizations to Build Strong Foundations & Drive Mission-Driven Growth
2 年I imagine we all go through depression at some point and don't even realize it. It is great that you help other see their depression and help them work through it. Providing something that I am sure you wish you had years ago.
Branding & marketing expert| Business owners, nail your branding & marketing to sell yourself more successfully & grow your business in 90 days | Coach, Consultant | Free power positioning consult ??
2 年"It felt like I was experiencing life from the bottom of a can looking up and trying to act as I felt normal." What a heart-breaking description of depression, Pamela. I so admire how you brought yourself up from the depths and now help your clients regain their lives.
?? Career Coach ?? I help mid to senior level professionals get unstuck, gain clarity, and land their ideal role with more balance, pay, and impact in less than 90 days ?? Free Career Clarity Call in About??
2 年Pamela DeNeuve, thank you for sharing this and shedding light on such an important topic. Physical and mental health are equally important. Because of your experiences, you're able to accomplish such amazing work with your clients.