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A twisted sort of friendship

On the depression that stays
· Depression,Mental Health,Mental Illness,Journey

There are many stories about depression. The dark times, the empty void, the downward spiral. Yet, many triumphant survivors tell of their success.

How they beat depression.

How they overcame depression.

How they came back out stronger, better, happier and healthier.

But what about those of us who are still on the battlefield?

broken image

If only someone could put a timeframe from start to finish. Then you could measure your success according to how long it should last. “Is there something wrong with me?” That’s a question I keep hearing. “Why am I still not better?”

This post today is not about successfully beating depression.

No, it is more about living with depression. In what way does depression morph into your self identity? I’ve had many tell me that their depression is like a best friend, in a twisted kind of way.

One teenager told me, “Everything comes and goes and at the end of the day, you’re gonna face it yourself. But for me, at least I know that depression is always with me. It’s actually almost comforting, in a sickening sort of way.”

It doesn’t matter how you see depression, but know that nobody can tell you how to feel. Your feelings are legitimate, they are real. Just because you have depression, does not mean there is something wrong, something to be “fixed”.