Today, hundreds of men and women write me personally on social media. Victims of their pasts, of their silence. The question that most often pops up: what do you do to heal, to beat depression?
By Ingrid Falaise
I am neither a therapist nor a psychologist.
But I am sure of one thing, which I learned over the course of my therapy, and that is that breaking the silence is the first step to healing.
The second stage of the journey to recovery is to find professional help you are comfortable with in order to escape this troubled zone.
I was scared. So scared to revisit the past and face down my traumas. But this fear should have never existed. Because saying yes to healing, to consulting, is to arm myself with a guide that can accompany me on the way to freedom.
I freed myself of the chains which kept me prisoner in those dark, festering corridors. I defeated the ties that bound me to pain and suffering. I chose to not define myself by my past.
Every so often, Madame Depression visits me to cry and weep in the corner of my ear. These are passing sadnesses, yes, because magic wands exist only in fairy tales. I see my therapist for tune-ups, because, just like a car, it’s important to do a check-up, mostly in the spring or fall. I’m worth it…
Madame Depression hasn’t been around for several years, and my smile is back, with honor and dignity.
Ingrid Falaise, an actress, wrote the autobiographical book Le Monstre, which chronicles 2 years she spent in an abusive relationship with a narcissistic pervert. She is the spokesperson for the SOS Violence conjugale organization. They offer services in English and French. If you need help, please visit their website.
Click on here to read the French language version on the Reflet de Société website
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