Serena Ryder has been singing professionally since she was 10 years old, has three Juno awards, two gold albums, and depression.
She recently experienced a major bout of clinical depression.
Her description of her depression is like so many others of us who have been embraced by it.
“It was really dark and it was rally wrong.” Her depression began with anxiety attacks. Anxiety and stress can trigger depression, especially in those of us pre-disposed to it. She is feeling better. Treatment is key. Depression does not disappear all by itself. For some it requires medication and others talk therapy and even spiritual care.
I have learned that walking in the woods keeps depression at bay. Each of us has different ways of coping with chronic depression.
For Serena it was working on a new album. Music is part of her treatment.
“This album was totally my medicine. The songs were conversations with myself, telling myself that I wasn’t the depression.”
Those of us who thrive with depression know in our souls that it does not define us.
