Admitting to yourself that you have depression is one thing, but getting others who don’t know you to acknowledge it is far from easy.
Recently, during my younger child’s routine checkup, the staff told my wife that if she has depression, we could apply for daycare. So, we applied right away.
Until then, with my wife unwell, I had been juggling work, housework, childcare for both our older and younger kids, and everything else. This left little time to take our younger child out to play.
I always thought daycare was for dual-income families, and since we faced resistance when applying for our older child’s daycare, we had given up. It’s frustrating how often you hear, “Why didn’t they tell us this sooner?”
For example, when we applied for the high-cost medical care system for my wife’s depression-related hospitalization at the ward office, they offered no advice about disability pensions or daycare options. They only answered what was directly asked—classic bureaucratic work.
It might be because different departments handle these things, but I wish there was better coordination.
Back to the daycare application: I handled the process, submitting a copy of the medical certificate used for her disability pension application.
After that, my wife was restless and anxious. When I asked why, she said the uncertainty about whether our younger child would get into daycare was causing her significant mental stress.
Two to three weeks after applying, with no news on the review results, my wife begged me to check. I called the department, and they said a meeting was scheduled the next day, after which they’d send out notifications.
Two or three days after that call, the daycare called my wife’s phone. The news was essentially a confirmation of acceptance, and she finally seemed relieved, free from the stress.
But what made her happiest wasn’t just that the daycare spot was secured—it was that her depression was officially recognized by the ward office. That brought her real joy.
Unlike family or friends, having an institution like the ward office validate your condition means a lot to someone with depression. It’s something I’ve come to understand.
※本記事は個人のうつ病体験談です。体験内容はあくまで個人の体験であり、医療アドバイスではありません。専門的なアドバイスを希望する場合は医師へ相談を。
※This article is a personal depression story. The content is solely based on personal experience and is not medical advice. Consult a doctor for professional advice.