Tresser Henderson
Ayoka Boyce: How long have you battled with depression
Tresser Henderson: It has been 19 years.
Ayoka: That is a long time
Tresser: Depression started when my daughter was born. I didn't know what
depression was . When she was born I was thrown into a slump that I couldn't
explain, I wanted to stay in bed and sleep. I cried everyday. I was not happy
I worked in a medical facility and a doctor, Lisa, told me that I had postpartum
depression.
After that, being African American, depression was frowned upon. I thought
depression was a Caucasian thing. I didn’t think that black people get depressed
People like me, we pray it away. We don't take medicine.
My second child was born 3 years later and the depression got worse. I had suicidal
thoughts, I didn't understand why I has having them. I thought to myself,“ Why
are you living, why are you here, no one needs you.” It’s hard to explain. But I felt
no one else in the world felt like this.
Ayoka: How did you cope with being depressed for so long without seeking help?