August 16, 2024
After severe depression, a ‘rainbow lit up my sky’
Shannon Parkin survived 7 suicide attempts. She shares her story of hope and healing to help others.
Parkin’s depression is now in full remission. “This picture of me and my daughter at her college graduation shows the joy I embrace now,” she said.
Shannon Heath Parkin wants you to know that recovery from depression is possible. She knows from experience.
For much of her life, Parkin had severe depression. In 2015, she attempted suicide for the seventh time.
She spent 6 months in the hospital. The treatment she received from Kaiser Permanente — and her strong support system — helped her heal.
But this was just the beginning of her recovery journey. Since then, she’s learned to celebrate life.
She became a certified peer recovery specialist who leads mental health support groups. She also shares her story publicly to help others.
“Shannon’s story shows that there is always hope to heal with treatment and support,” said Don Mordecai, MD, national mental health leader at Kaiser Permanente.
Parkin answered questions about her experience and what it means to be a mental health advocate.
Why do you speak up about the importance of caring for your mental health?
For the first 50 years of my life, I never knew anyone could get over suicidal thoughts or recover after a suicide attempt.
My main goal is to share my story and encourage others to share theirs. We learn from each other. Resilience is built through community.
What role has community support played in your recovery?
Each person’s recovery is unique. Talking with people has helped me a lot. Through the power of peer-supported recovery, hope grows.
The support I’ve received from my peers, friends, family, and faith community has been essential.
Can you speak about your recovery journey with Kaiser Permanente?
After my disabling suicide attempt, I spent 6 months in the hospital where doctors found the right combination of antidepressants for me.
Once I left the hospital, I began electroconvulsive therapy, which lasted about 18 months. It was through this therapy that I began to see the joys of life again.
How has keeping a gratitude journal helped you in your recovery?
I first learned about a gratitude journal in 2016 through the National Alliance on Mental Illness, but I didn’t start keeping one until the beginning of the pandemic.
Since March 2020, it has become a daily practice for me. I haven’t missed a day since then. Keeping this journal has been as important as taking my medication.
What message do you want to share with people with depression?
I want people to know that recovery is possible. In July 2018, my psychiatrist, for the first time, wrote in the line for my diagnosis: “Depression in full remission.”
After 40 years of major depressive disorder and 7 suicide attempts, a rainbow lit up my sky. And my depression has been in full remission ever since.
Many people with suicidal thoughts feel that dying by suicide is the only way to end their pain. But there are so many other options available — not just to erase pain but to fully embrace joy.
I still live with mental health conditions. But through medication, peer support, and surrounding myself with people who care about me, I’ve learned many coping strategies that help me every day.
