The importance of uncondtional acceptance

"He never asked me about my illness, he never got angry or frustrated with me. What he gave me was unconditional acceptance of who I am" ~ Student

A story about the assistance of a GP and the invaluable help of a caring friend

"I came to New Zealand in 2001, hoping to study at university.

I used to be an outgoing person, and enjoyed socialising with, and helping, people. After a year in New Zealand, however, I realised I had changed. I felt lonely, isolated and helpless. In my second year here, my condition got worse; in addition to crying everyday, I was also losing a lot of weight.

Because of what I was studying at that time (psychology), I knew if I was going to change my own situation I needed to seek help from professional people. So, I went to see my GP and she told me I had depression. I followed her advice, taking the medication she had prescribed and having counselling sessions at the university. I also took a semester off to control my illness and talked with friends about my problems.

There is one friend I will never forget. He encouraged me and helped me through the most difficult times. He never asked me about my illness, he never got angry or frustrated with me. What he gave me was unconditional acceptance of who I am. I don't think he'll ever know how much he helped me during that time.

I didn't look down on myself because of my mental illness. Actually, I learned how to look after myself - knowing when to seek help and how to overcome my depression.

Now, I have recovered from it and have also completed my degree. Besides that, I have a job that I enjoy, helping other people who are like me. My experience has taught me that, although mental illness can seem to be a challenge at the time, as long as we never give up on ourselves, and learn to accept who we are, we can have a life worth living for."