As the oldest child of a large family growing up in North Africa, Aicha* had been expected to be strong, look after younger children, cook and clean without complaining or asking questions.

Now in her mid-50s, single-handedly caring for two teenage daughters, she retains that sense of having to cope at all costs, despite living with a 鈥渞ollercoaster鈥� of depression.

鈥淗ome life was like a military regime,鈥� she said. 鈥淢um was very loving but very strict.

鈥淏eing the eldest, I had to pay the price for whoever made the mistake or not being vigilant while she wasn鈥檛 around.鈥�

Suffer in silence

As Aicha grew older, depression became part of life. She knew it was there but didn鈥檛 know what to do about it and felt that culturally, she was expected to 鈥渟uffer in silence鈥�.

鈥淚 come from a Muslim background where you keep things to yourself,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey shouldn鈥檛 go outside the family home. It is important not be judged and this added to a sense of shame.鈥�

Aicha did go to her GP and was prescribed anti-depressants.

Counselling wasn鈥檛 suggested to her initially, but after a move from London to the north of England, Aicha鈥檚 new GP suggested that she contact a local counselling service.

Reluctant at first, and worried about being judged, Aicha eventually took the plunge and made an appointment.

Aicha鈥檚 first impressions of the counselling service, which we are not naming to protect her anonymity, were good and she was particularly reassured by the confidentiality offered by the service.

Safe place

鈥淚t鈥檚 a safe place to go to,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 felt completely free to say whatever I wanted, knowing that it wouldn鈥檛 leave the room, that it was between me and my counsellor.鈥�

Glad now that she followed up on her GP鈥檚 suggestion, Aicha feels that counselling has been 鈥渉ealing鈥� and that it has a allowed her to 鈥渄etangle some of my issues鈥�, the events and problems from her past that trouble her.

It鈥檚 also given her a new and positive sense of her own identity.

鈥淐ounselling has helped me on my journey to understand myself better and understand my mental health,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檇 recommend it to anyone.鈥�

We are sharing Aicha鈥檚 story as part of the UN鈥檚 International Day of Older Persons, and this year鈥檚 theme is Journey to Age Equality.

Jeremy Bacon, our Older People Lead, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e grateful to Aicha for sharing her story of how counselling helped her on her road to recovery and hope that it encourages others to consider counselling.

鈥淒epression and low mood aren鈥檛 inevitable as we get older and, as Aicha鈥檚 story shows, counselling can be really effective in supporting wellbeing.鈥�

If you would like to talk to a 香港六合彩精准资料 therapist about any of the issues in this article, see How to find a therapist

*Not her real name