DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been feeling overwhelmed for several months now. I just can't seem to get my life together. I lost my job a few months ago, and I have been looking for a job with no luck so far. I am single, and I have nobody to help me. Honestly, I don't know how much longer I can take this. I feel like I get shut down at every turn.
Friends were helping me out here and there, but I feel horrible about asking for their help. Plus, they are barely making ends meet themselves. I got on food stamps recently, but I hate that, too. I feel like a mess. I went to the doctor about it and was prescribed some depression medicine. I'm afraid to take it, though, because I'm afraid that I won't get another job if my employer finds out that I have to take meds. What can I do? -- Stuck, Detroit
DEAR STUCK: Thank you for writing and sharing your situation. You have done the right thing by speaking your pain out loud. It is also great that you went to the doctor to be evaluated. Now, you absolutely must take your medicine. Getting healthy is going to be a requirement for you to turn your life around. Your meds should be able to help you stabilize your emotions. Find a way to continue to go to see a mental health professional who can help guide your steps. It is possible to climb out of this dark hole, but you need help to get there.