Let’s get something straight.
Many people mistake depression with simply being sad. And it is okay to be very sad about something. It is okay to be consumed in despair over the death of a loved one, or a tragedy that shook your home town or your personal life. But to throw around the word “depression” in everyday use like “her cookies came out burnt so she got depressed” is not okay.
Because of the misuse of the word, and the stigma that comes with the word, many times Depression can go unnoticed. And often times, people assume that becuase a person is laughing, wearing makeup, and standing in front of you, that that person is okay. And maybe in that moment that person is using every ounce of energy he or she can muster to appear to be okay. But he or she might be the furthest thing from okay.
He/she might be cold.
He/she might be lifeless.
He/she might be empty.
He/she might be lonely.
He/she might be struggling to relieve the pain pressing down on his/her chest.
And people cope with depression in a myriad of ways.
Some people push themselves to a breaking point in every aspect of their lives, in an attempt to distract themselves from it.
Some people close themselves off from the world, in a way to hide.
Some people can switch back and forth between the two.
And some people don’t even cope, they just end it.
The truth about Depression is that it is either something that completely envelops you and makes it hard to escape, or it is something that is silently watching you for days, months, maybe even years, until it finds a moment to strike, until it reduces you down to nothing but… well, nothing.
But to so drastically encompass everything that is Depression into a few simple sentences is such a crime in and of itself, because it cannot be done.
Every person begins to feel Depression in a different way. Everyone’s Depression can be triggered by something different. Nobody’s Depression is the same.
Depression can elevate your emotions. Depression can erase your emotions.
Depression can make you talk too much, in a desperate attempt just to feel connected to someone. Or, Depression can prevent you from talking at all, because what’s the point?
Depression can give you false expectations and dreams, only to take them away without warning.
Depression can change you. Depression can crush you.
The truth about Depression is that it is a sneaky little devil that will hide in your dreams and intervene during your happiest moments.
The truth about Depression is that it cuts deep into your soul, but doesn’t let your body repair the wound.
There’s no hiding from it, but there is plenty hiding of it.
But the truth about Depression is that it is cureable. It can be fought, and it can be defeated. It can be cut down.
You just have to find your sword.
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