BY: LIZ HARDIE
Depression is misunderstood
Many who are diagnosed many times do not even understand
Although symptoms vary from person to person, support is essential
Please understand that depression is treatable, so those diagnosed should never feel damned
Causes include chemical imbalances, genetics, life events, and medical conditions
Side effects of medications, and even drugs and alcohol, can cause or make it worse
Sadly, many believe depression is a choice, and these causes do not exist despite the studies
The mental health stigma is that depressed individuals are not normal, weak, or cursed
Living with depression is not a life that someone would want to choose
People see a fake smile hiding your sadness, not realizing you sleep very little each night
Feeling sad, anxious, empty, worthless, hopeless, restless, irritable, with zero interest
You don’t eat, your enjoyment in life has faded, and at times, you want to give up the fight
Constant judgments, saying “it’s all in your head”, or minimizing your feelings do not help
You want to feel understood and supported, that people are not giving up and walking away
People should be there for you, listening and encouraging you to get the help that you need
They should be patient and supportive, and ask questions while validating what you say
Until you live through this nightmare, no one should be judging anyone else
Depression is a lifelong journey that has ups and downs, twists and turns
Learning to deal with these and live with these daily does not happen overnight
This is a process that can take years of talk therapy or a change in medications to find a norm
Whichever route you choose, you have to do what is best for you, to live a happy, healthy life
Take advantage of any resources available to you, local or online, to many, this may be hard
Throughout life, you may be judged, pushed away, and be misunderstood
This is your story. Those who love you will encourage you and give you hope, and your fight for life will be restored
Photo by K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash