Depression is a serious mood disorder that affects people on so many levels, from how they eat and work, to how they sleep, think, and function. It can come out of the blue, or it can come as a result of certain experiences. I know several people dealing with depression and/or other mental illnesses. They are so common, yet it seems like people are not taking it as seriously as they should. Mental illnesses are diseases just like any other illnesses that exist, and they need to be treated like other diseases. It is a big deal because people with a mental illness are at stake with their lives. It is not a laughing matter. It is not just a "phase" of life. It is not something that should be overlooked. Those with depression don't do stuff to seek attention; they are crying out for help. If people better understood what depression feels like, maybe they would do something more about it.

This is a song I wrote called "Tears of the Night." It is about how one may feel when dealing with depression/anxiety/other mental illnesses. They feel trapped, like they have nowhere to turn. They cry for help, but no one hears them. They suffer in silence, and that needs to stop.

While the moon and stars are shining

Clouds roll by with thunder and lightning

Darkness soon prevails the moment

Shattered pieces, the heart is broken

Can you hear their cries

They shed the tears of the night

They close their eyes and breathe the air

They look at their hands and what they bare

They feel the wind strike across their faces

Their minds keep going to stranger places

Life breaks them apart, they’ve got nowhere to go

They keep running and running, but they're hanging low

Exhausted and screaming, but quietly dreaming

To find their place again

They whisper words of doubt and fear

They look at their faces, and it’s now clear

They’re nothing compared to the rest of the world

They hang in the balance, will they be heard

Life breaks them apart, they’ve got nowhere to go

They keep running and running, but they're hanging low

Exhausted and screaming, but quietly dreaming

To find their place again

(Life breaks them apart, they’ve got nowhere to go

They keep running and running, but they're hanging low

Exhausted and screaming, but quietly dreaming

To find their place again)