Battling depression is challenging, confusing and emotional.  Some days, you feel as if things are getting better and you’re going to be okay.  While other days, you feel as if the world, as you know it, is coming to an end.  There’s no way to prepare you, for dealing with depression, since most times you’re depressed before you even know you’re suffering from depression.

As I continue this unwanted relationship, with depression, there are some things that I wish someone would’ve told me about managing this disease.  But since no one did, I’m going to share some of those things, in hopes that it might help someone else.

20 things nobody told me about depression:

1.  Because people can’t see it, they don’t think depression is real, so it’s hard to talk to friends and family about it.

2.  You have a life worth living, but the struggle is real.

3.  You think everyone around you has it together…..they DON’T.

4.  It’s okay to want to be alone.

5.  Most days you will want to be alone.

6.  There are people who love and support you even when you suffer, alone.

7.  You will watch a lot of TV.

8.  Depression is time consuming.

9.  It’s really going to be okay.  Maybe not when you want, but it will be okay.

10.  Getting to that moment when you’re okay, doesn’t happen quickly.

11.  Depression is scary.

12.  You will sleep a lot.

13.  At times, you won’t sleep at all.

14.  If you have a dog, they will know that you’re depressed and try to comfort you so don’t yell at them when they suddenly seemed attached, to you.

15.  DEPRESSION IS NOT A SIGN OF WEAKNESS

16.  You may want to cause physical harm to anyone who says, “ain’t nothing wrong with you,” or  “just be happy and it’ll pass,” or “just be strong and you’ll get through this,” or “girl, please black people don’t have depression,” or anything of the sort that simply means what you’re experiencing isn’t depression.

17.  You will be confused, about your life.

18.  Watch episodes of Martin over and over again…..the 22 minutes, of laughter, will be good for you.

19.  Some anti-depressants just don’t work….keep trying until you find what works for you.

20. In your quest to stay busy and active, there will be nights when you will plan activities, for the next day, when in your mind you already know that you’re not going to do those things.

Simply put, you’re going to experience things that you’ve never experienced before.  Some of it will be good, most of it will not be good.  And that’s the tough part.  The good thing is you’re not alone.  YOU ARE NOT ALONE.  Even in your darkest day, in your darkest hour, there is someone, there is something, that will help you get through that next minute, that next second. When you think that no one cares, I care.  When you think that no one understands you, I understand.  When you’ve given it your all and you just can’t make it through another day, I promise that you will make it.  Some days depression will win and some days you’ll kick its ass!  Just keep moving towards that light at the end of your tunnel.  It’s there, but you have to keep moving to get to it.