Depression isn’t something to make fun of. Enough said. The
problem that I see in so many people is ignorance. You pretend like it isn’t a
real illness, but it’s as real as cancer. You don’t know it’s there until
something happens, and then all of a sudden everything turns black.
Darkness begins to envelop every thought in your head, and
it even makes its way into your heart. It’s like seeing storm clouds move over
your head, and something in you just knows that something’s going to happen.
When it does, you feel paralyzed, like your feet have just been superglued to
the ground. No matter how much you want to move, you can’t. Your body
completely shuts down and instantly you feel abandoned, like a child in the middle
of a supermarket aisle screaming for their mum or dad.
When depression hits you, it hits you hard. Full force, and with
no mercy whatsoever. You feel deflated from all of the crying, and your throat
burns like fire from all of the screams you’ve let out. Your eyes are as red as
the blood in your veins, and then you just feel numb. Everything becomes ten
times harder to do, something as simple as walking seems like a marathon.
People make fun of those with depression because they think
it’s something you can cure. A little sleep and some medicine and you’ll be
fine, right?
You couldn’t be more wrong.
Depression is something that’ll always be there, resting
inside a deep part of you. Sometimes it’ll creep its way further without you
noticing, and then one day it’ll hit you. It can be triggered from anything,
even a person, or what they’re saying can set it off. Once it’s there, it’s
there for a long time. It never really goes away; you just learn to not let it
bother you so much.
Ignoring people who feel depressed is probably the worst
thing you can do, all we want in this world is to feel loved and validated. For
you to ignore someone who feels overwhelmingly sad is just wrong. Granted, you
may not know what to say, but put yourself in that person’s shoes for a second.
Here they are, talking to you about their inner most thoughts and feelings, and
you just sitting there like it’s no big deal.
Well, I hate to say it, but it’s a bigger deal than you
realise.
When people are depressed, they become severely withdrawn
and quiet. It’s often the scariest thing people have to witness, especially if
I become quiet (because we all know that I never shut up). All of a sudden you
have to coax them into talking, and if they don’t, then don’t push them. One
wrong move and you could’ve potentially fucked it up between you two.
The best thing to do of your friend is feeling down is to just be there, you don’t necessarily have to talk, you just need them to know that you’re there for them if and when they’re ready. Don’t force them to talk, just settle down and give them the reassurance that you’re there. They’ll feel misunderstood and alone, so you have to show them that they aren’t. Put everything you have going on in your life aside and focus on them. That is the best thing you can do for someone, is to give them your attention and time.
The best thing to do of your friend is feeling down is to just be there, you don’t necessarily have to talk, you just need them to know that you’re there for them if and when they’re ready. Don’t force them to talk, just settle down and give them the reassurance that you’re there. They’ll feel misunderstood and alone, so you have to show them that they aren’t. Put everything you have going on in your life aside and focus on them. That is the best thing you can do for someone, is to give them your attention and time.
To those who are feeling depressed: I am truly sorry that
you feel this way, I just want you to know that you are not alone. I know how
depression feels, what I described above is exactly how I feel. All the time.
With loving thoughts, see you next time,
Tessa
Tessa
