Cathy Hummels has been open about her depression for a while. In an interview, she tells once again how she is doing with the disease, what is necessary in the fight against it and how her son Ludwig gives her strength.
Cathy Hummels knows only too well how important it is to deal openly with mental health and mental illnesses such as depression. She herself has already experienced depressive phases several times - the first time at the age of 15 - and with professional help has learned to find herself again. A study by the pension company Swiss Life Germany recently confirmed that young people from Generation Z and Y are now also often affected by the disease. In the interview, Hummels emphasizes: "You really need a psychotherapist. But the more you talk about it, the more it resolves."
You've been open about your depression for years. How are you currently?
Cathy Hummels: I'm doing very well now. It first hit me when I was 15. I also know very well that many do not dare to stand by it and "admit" it. But if you know about depression, deal with the disease and understand it, you can live with it.
How were you diagnosed at the time?
My first depression was not properly diagnosed at the time. I lost a lot of weight back then, probably 15 kilos. Not because I wasn't hungry anymore, but because I was just sad and just cried. I was a shadow of myself. The biggest problem was that the disease wasn't widely recognized at the time.
Do you find it difficult to talk about it?
It's not difficult for me to talk about it today. I'll be perfectly honest about that. I found and still find it much worse that this disease is still being condemned.
How did depression affect you at the time?
Only my second depression at 21 was properly diagnosed. At that time I went to the doctor because I had panic attacks and anxiety. I could describe it better then. I didn't want to live anymore and tried to explain everything to the doctor. Then various examinations were made, such as checking the thyroid gland and an EKG. I always felt like my chest was about to burst. I was totally panicked. I couldn't sit still either, and it felt like I was insane. Then came the diagnosis and then the doctors were of course able to treat it much better. So I also knew that by the time I was 15, it had been depression.
Can it have a positive effect on the course if you deal openly with the depression?
I think when the disease becomes more recognized, when people talk about it more, then even people who don't have it will understand exactly what that means. It's an illness, you really need a psychotherapist, sometimes you have to take medication. You are trapped within yourself - and the worst thing is that the struggle you are fighting inside yourself cannot be seen from the outside. But the more you talk about it, the more it dissolves. The thoughts have to leave your body and the more likely it is to be understood. That's why I think openness helps a lot.
Would you have liked more information on the subject of pension provision at the time?
Of course I would have wished for that, but in my past it didn't exist. So it's all the nicer that it's finally really being talked about and that many of those affected are trying to destigmatize the disease. If you break your foot, you're out for six weeks and no one judges you. When you get diagnosed with depression, you don't know how long it will take. But the bad thing is not even this uncertainty, but that you are then labeled as disturbed. But you're not disturbed, you're just sick. Nevertheless, the diagnosis has consequences. For example, it is hardly possible to take out disability insurance with it. Since people now fall ill very early in their lives, it is also extremely important to think about taking out insurance early on, in order to at least be able to lead a financially self-determined life in an emergency. For example, if you met me when I was 14, you would never have guessed that I would get depressed. I was pure life. I was always the funnest and went along with all the nonsense, was completely extroverted. And then from one day to the next I was like this. And that's why prevention is so important.
What tips do you have for young people suffering from the disease?
If you get the diagnosis as a young person, it is very important that you talk about it and really do psychotherapy. I would have wished for that for myself back then. You learn so much about yourself. Especially when you're young, you're often just lost. You don't know exactly where I should go. And that's where psychotherapy can help, it gives you self-esteem.
Many people struggle with the dark season. Does this time bother you too?
It doesn't bother me that summer is over or that it's getting colder, I just miss the sun. For example, I found that out for myself. I'm human, I need sun, I need vitamin D to be happy. Because when you're depressed, it's not like happiness resides within you. You have to make sure you get it somehow. You really have to learn to take care of yourself. And sun makes me feel good. That's why I really like doing light therapy. After consulting my doctor, I also take vitamin D when it gets very dark. That's also a tip I have.
Still, is there anything you're looking forward to now?
I also really like autumn and winter. I love autumn with its colors. Colors make me happy, also in fashion. I always have to wear a color and always need a highlight. I also think winter is nice, for example when it really snows completely. But rainy weather and the whole dreary time is not very easy for the psyche if you are pre-stressed, because it pulls you down. But I have my medicine and I know what I need.
How do you balance job and motherhood?
I get everything under one roof because I want to get it all under one roof. Also, I just know that my son Ludwig wants his mom to be happy. Just as I wish that he is infinitely happy. We are a team. I know when he needs me, when I can't be gone. But I also know when I can be away. And he really is a great, happy boy with the greatest self-esteem. And that confirms me every time.
How would you like it if Ludwig later pulled himself in front of the camera?
I honestly don't care at all. No matter what he wants to be in life, no matter what sexual orientation he will have, the main thing is that my son is happy. Then he will tell me. And whatever his path, he has my full support. Because you only have one life. And at the end of the day, it's all about him making himself happy. Like me, he should be able to make self-determined decisions about his health, his future, his money, his well-being. It's nice when you have parents who guide you on your way. But at the end of the day you are always responsible for yourself and everyone is the architect of their own happiness.
