Depression
Depression can feel like a heavy weight pressing down on you that makes everything harder, even things you usually enjoy. It’s more than just feeling sad for a day or two – everyone feels down sometimes – but depression sticks around for weeks, months, or longer and can make you feel numb.
What can depression look and feel like?
• Feel tired all the time
• Find it tough to focus
• Easily irritated, frustrated, or angered
• Have feelings of worthlessness, emptiness, hopelessness
• Avoid hanging out with friends or doing things you usually love
• Feel like no one really gets what you're going through
• Withdrawing from friends and family
• Considering or engaging in unhealthy behaviors such as drug or alcohol use
• Thought about or have practiced self-harm
You may experience some or all of these things. The tricky part about depression is that it can make you think that these feelings will last forever, but that doesn’t have to be true.
How do I help myself feel better?
Depression does not define who you are; it’s something that you are struggling with, and you deserve to feel better. There are healthy strategies that can put you on the path to finding joy, purpose, motivation, and living your best life.