Depression is one of the worst psychological issues ever, and unfortunately, it is getting very common these days. Like many others in the world, I too, have suffered from depression. Depression hit me when I was still a teenager, and I suffered from it for around ten years. These ten years were the worst of my life. And sometimes it was even hard to get out of bed. But thankfully, I had a supportive family, and I was able to fight through the problem.
During my ten years of suffering from depression, I also learned a lot about it, and I want to spread what I learned to others, so that they can also get through this awful disease. So, here is a list of some of the most helpful things that I learned fighting against depression for nearly a decade.
There’s Always Hope
If anyone had told me that there was hope in my darkest moments, I wouldn’t have ever believed them. But now, after I have recovered, I understand that there is always hope, no matter how hard things get, there is always a metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel. This is really hard for depression patients to understand because hopelessness is one of the major symptoms of depression.
But still, if you are suffering from depression, understanding that there is a hope for things to get better is the first step towards getting better. Look at the examples of people who have gone through depression and recovered to have a great life. I am one of those people and trust me, if I can get out of the pit of depression that I was in, you can too.
You Can’t Expect To Feel Good All the Time
When my situation was improving, and I was starting to be able to experience happiness again after such a long battle with depression, it felt like I was failing my recovery every time I felt a little unhappy. This affected my recovery and slowed it down.
You need to understand that you can’t always be happy and satisfied with life. Sadness and unhappy emotions are a part of life, and life is like a roller coaster of emotions. When you are recovering, don’t freak out if you feel a little sad sometimes.
If you keep thinking that you are falling back into the pit of depression, you will not be able to recover. Remember that even the happiest people have bad days sometimes.
Alcohol Is Not Your Friend
When my depression was at its worst, I used alcohol as the ultimate antidepressant. It may have worked for a very short and embarrassing time. But the next morning always came around sooner than expected, and that’s when you find out that the whole’ alcohol is a depressant thing’ is painfully true.
If I think about it now, it seems like a miracle that I survived so many years of alcohol abuse and trying to drown my depression in a bottle. So, remember no matter how sad you are feeling, don’t drink to get rid of the sadness. You may be able to numb your brain for a while, but trust me the next morning will be ten times worse than whatever sadness you were feeling at night. Alcohol is not the solution to anything, and it will only take you deeper in the pit of depression.
People Who Haven’t Suffered From Depression Have a Tough Time Understanding It
I am not trying to criticize people or call them ignorant or something. Anyone who has suffered from depression knows that it is almost impossible for a normal person to even imagine what sort of struggle we go through. It is just difficult to understand something that you haven’t been through yourself.
I had a lot of family members and friends who tried really hard to understand what I was going through– and they deserve appreciation for their effort. But this is not easy to understand when your mind is affected by serious depression, and you may start to resent your family and friends for it. It may also seem like no one is there for you, but remember to cut your family and friends some slack. They can’t authentically understand what you are going through the same way you can’t understand what cancer patients are going through.
You Are Not Alone
Everyone who has suffered from depression knows that it is also accompanied by a feeling of serious loneliness. You feel completely alone in the world, and it seems like no one around you can understand what you are going through. But remember that you are not alone; there are many people out there like me and you who have been suffering from depression and understand what we are going through.
There are a lot of support groups for people who suffer from depression, and if you want to start your recovery, you will need to go to one of these groups. I understand that it may be hard for you to do so believe me, it was for me, but these support groups are really helpful, and they put you on the road to recovery and becoming a contributing member of society.
I understand that like me you will want to alienate yourself from the society, but that will keep you away from the exact thing you need to recover, which is the company of friends and loved ones.
Social Media Is Bad For You
When I was feeling hopeless, and I had no human connection, looking at the online personas of other people partying and having fun was maybe not the best idea. If you suffer from low self-esteem, which almost anyone with depression does, watching the expertly crafted social media profiles of other people will not do you any favors.
So, trust me and stay off social media and try to have more real social experiences with your close friends and family members. This isn’t only my opinion about social media. It has actually been proven by studies that social media websites actually make us sad.
I hope you get through this difficult time sooner than soon. Stay safe!
About the Author:
Currently a student of Clinical Psychology, in her final years, Carolina Martel is passionate about writing her thoughts in words. She takes up writing projects in her leisure time to accompany her studies. Generally, she understands the essence of writing on every topic but especially those that relate to her field. She regularly writes at https://shadedco.com/.
