If you let depression overcome you, you are not the only one affected. Your family is also. Imagine how they would feel if you harm yourself or they see you miserable. Just like how you do not want to see your loved ones suffering, they do not want this to happen to you as well. Nothing is permanent in this world, including your pain. Time heals all wounds, so as long as you do not give up, the time will come when this situation will be over. If you do not give up now, you will arrive at that moment. Look around you. There are still many good things that you must be grateful for. Some could be simple like the air you breathe and that you get to eat three times a day. You can also count your family members and friends who continue to support you as among your best blessings in life. Always think positively. Do not focus on how dark your world seems to be now. Look forward to the day when you finally overcome this depression and face a bright future and Do not allow depression to control you. Remind yourself that your will is stronger than the chemical or hormonal imbalance that affects your emotions. You need to strengthen your mind, and use its power to direct your actions so that you can function productively even when you do not feel like moving. Do not be bound by your past failures. Humans are naturally imperfect, so we all experience failures. You are equipped with the skills and abilities that you can use to do things that can remind your value. Continue to pursue your dreams and strive for success by utilizing these gifts of capabilities God has blessed you with. At the end of this battle, there are only two possible outcomes: either you will be victorious or defeated. The choice is up to you. You may fight to overcome depression and be stronger afterward. Or you may wallow in self-pity, and allow it to make you do self-destructive stuff like substance abuse and alcoholism. like i always say what does not break you can make you stronger. Learn from the lessons throughout this dark journey, then use them to be tougher next time. You will be thankful to have gone through this ordeal, because you become less vulnerable in the future.

When you experience really painful feelings that just won’t go away, those feelings interfere with all areas of your life, it’s important to get support, and ask for help. Take short breaks during the day. go for a walk and cry if you feel like you need to because its ok to cry, call a friend or family member, or simply take some time to yourself. It’s also important not to isolate yourself, which is something depression can reach you at. Reach out to friends, therapist, god, or family members and make a concerted effort to be engaged, rather than closing yourself off.

Depression and anxiety can be caused by many things such as; getting into a fight with your spouse, family member or friend, losing your job, earthquakes or tornadoes, that can damage your home or destroy it altogether,  getting into a car accident, which can cause physical, emotional, and financial stress and being robbed, abused and attacked. Depression can make experiencing and coping with events in your life more challenging. Big and small stresses still occur, but with depression, you may not feel as equipped to deal with them. This can make the symptoms of depression and the stress of certain situations even worse.

While stress can generally have negative effects on your physical and mental health, it can be especially harmful if you have depression.

Stress can make you feel less able to maintain positive habits or coping strategies, which are important to managing depression. This can make symptoms of depression feel more intense. Interrupting a healthy routine can result in negative coping strategies, such as drinking or withdrawing from social relationships. These actions can result in further stress, which can then make depression symptoms worse.

Stress can also affect your mood, as anxiety and irritability are both common responses to stress. When a stressor causes you to feel anxious, the anxiety may result in more negative feelings or frustration. Stress management techniques are useful in coping with depression. Stress relief can also help prevent depressive symptoms from developing. Some helpful stress management techniques include: getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, taking vacations or regular breaks from work, finding a relaxing hobby, such as gardening or woodworking, consuming less caffeine or alcohol, doing breathing exercises to lower your heart rate.

If your lifestyle choices are causing you stress, you may consider changing the way you approach things. Some ways you can help decrease this kind of stress include: putting yourself under less pressure to perform at work or school, not taking on as many responsibilities at work or activities at home, surrounding yourself with supportive and positive friends and family members, and removing yourself from stressful environments or situations. Activities such as yoga, meditation, or attending church can also help you deal with stress. It’s important to find what works for you. And no matter what you choose, it’s very important to have close friends and family members who are willing to support you. Talking to a counselor or therapist can also be a useful way to deal with stress and depression.

PS: I want to tell you something. Around the age of 9, I was bullied quite severely, which then had a huge impact on my mental health. I have been fighting depression for more than 6 years. Over a decade of late nights and toxic behavior and having to pretend the next day that nothing is wrong. I have been where you are, or my own version of it. Depression is different for each of us. And there are different sorts. But that really doesn’t matter. What makes you and me similar is the weariness, even exhaustion, and yet inability to sleep. Lying awake for hour after endless hour, How pointless everything seems, especially in the mornings. Let me tell you a secret. not all that long ago, I wanted to be dead. I went along with my psychiatrist because I thought I must, and I didn’t have the energy to argue with them. But inside, I knew I was a cowardly, incompetent, waste of space. bottling things up is not a good idea. My biggest breakthrough has been learning to share how I feel with those close to me. I have to keep pushing through. yes It is very hard, but worth the effort. I just want to end with this. You will have good days and bad days. In time, you will gradually notice that there are more good ones than bad ones. You will rejoice again in small ways, like a walk in the rain, or the smile of a stranger. You will find things to do that give you a sense of achievement. Learning to be kind to yourself can be a lifelong project. But if you aren’t kind to yourself, it is much harder to be kind to other people. So for that reason, it is a generous and thoughtful thing to do. I wish you luck on the rest of your journey. Please know this: you are not alone. please reach out to me if you want to talk. i am always here because i care and love you!