First of all, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I truly wish all of you the absolute, very best. Now on to something a bit more serious.
If you follow me on Twitter, you may have seen that I've been talking about depression quite a bit lately. There are a few reasons for that but most of them don't really matter at the moment.
I feel that it's incredibly important to talk freely about mental health issues because we have to de-stigmatize the topic. We've made a ton of progress over the years but we still have a long journey ahead of us. There is absolutely no reason that anyone should ever feel shame for living with mental illness.
The main reason I've been talking more about this lately is because the holidays can be really difficult for people dealing with depression. I know that I've been struggling myself and it fucking sucks. This is supposed to be one of the happiest times of the year and yet I find myself forcing a smile because I don't want to taint anything for my kids.
I've spent the last few days talking to people on social media about their struggles with depression, in both a private and public setting.
There are so many people out there who are finding it a challenge to simply get out of bed in the morning. I've talked to people who feel isolated and alone, which is one of the worst feelings in the world. There were people who feel like they have no one to talk to or even worse, no one who cares.
To all of you out there, struggling with depression, please don't give up. I know how hard things are for me. I can only imagine the personal struggles you're facing and I won't pretend I know what it's like for you* *because your struggles may be different than mine or vise versa.
What I do know is that things will get better. I know that your life matters and the world is a better place because you're in it. It might not feel like that right now but it's so important to remember that depression lies to you.
Speaking only for myself here, depression tries very hard to convince me that I'm worthless. Depression wants me to think that the I'll never succeed. Depression tries to coerce me into shutting down and giving up. Depression wants me to believe that my wife and kids would be better off without me.
On most days, I'm able to fight these thoughts off and recognize that depression is trying to exert control over my life. Sometimes, especially around the holidays, it's much harder to see though the tricks depression continuously plays on me and I can begin to believe the lies.
I know the holidays can be hard but I want you to know that you aren't alone. There are many people out there struggling in similar ways. Depression is hard and anyone that says otherwise has no idea what they're talking about. Someone was talking about struggling with addiction the other day and said something really profound. Feelings are not facts. I really like that and think it can apply to those living with depression as well.
I get that it can be hard to hold on, especially when giving up begins to make sense. Please don't give up. The darkness won't last forever and your life matters. The world is a brighter place with you in it. ☺
I'm going to be blunt and and directly address one more thing before calling it a night. If you are thinking about taking your own life, get help. Suicide is never the answer and if you're in a place where depression is convincing you that it makes sense, you need help right way.
Please reach out to someone. No matter what time of day or night it is, call a friend or family member. Tell them the truth and ask for help.
You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.
Hang in there. The darkness will pass. Please keep talking and never suffer in silence.
