I have re-written the first sentence of this article too many times to count. Depression; how do I start? How do I explain it? How do I write this article in a way that gives hope to people suffering from it? I have had the urge to write about this for a while now. Not knowing how to approach it, and even feeling somewhat embarrassed, I have set aside for a couple months now. The stigma that comes along with depression keeps people from talking about it. It keeps people from admitting they have it. It scares them. And most of all, because it is so rarely talked about, it keeps people from seeking help that they may need. This is my open letter to those suffering from depression. You are not alone.

Hi there,

I know you might feel alone. I know it seems like nobody could possibly understand you, because you might not even understand yourself right now. It's okay. According to Healthline.com, depression affects 1 in 10 Americans at a certain point. And an estimated 80% of these people that have symptoms of clinical depression are not seeking or receiving treatment. Don't let the stigma or embarrassment keep you from seeking help. Your health matters and you have every right to take care of yourself.

Others may not understand you. This is okay, because they aren't going through what you are. If I had a dollar every time someone told me to "get over it," or "just be happy," I would be rich. While other people think telling you these things can help, it has the reverse affect. Telling someone to just "be happy," won't help them be happy. In fact, it makes them realize that having to try for simple happiness is exhausting. It's tiering. Constantly putting on a smile and act is the hardest thing to do. Faking your happiness for others is not the solution. Trust me. You can't find happiness for a reason, and it's time to realize that you may in fact need to seek help.

Are you oversleeping? Do you wake up and still lay in bed until the afternoon? Does it take all of your energy to get out of bed and start your day? Do you constantly question and ask yourself, "what's the point?". You find yourself not even being tired, yet you are still able to sleep all day. You find yourself fatigued. You find yourself loosing abnormal amount of weight. You have no appetite. You are constantly fighting colds and headaches. You find yourself physically sick as well. You have no desire to be around people. You find less interest in hobbies. You get angry for no reason. You get sad for no reason. You stop caring about school and skip class just to lay in bed a while longer. You eat unhealthy. Worst of all, you don't even care.

While many people find it so hard to understand the unhappiness inside you, it's even harder to try and explain it to people. Even the closest people to you will not understand. It's not that they don't care, it's just hard for them to relate to something they, themselves, have not experienced. The hardest part about all of it is not having a reason for this sadness. You don't know why or how, and all you can do is feel it.

I also understand what you are going through. I'm a college student. I'm smart, approachable and have a lot going for me. You'd never know I had issues within myself because I hid them for so long. I hid them for so long that I forgot I had them. I got to a point in my life where I decided to make a change. I became a person I didn't even recognize. I lost myself. You'll see this happening to you, as well. And it will scare the hell out of you. You will feel like everything is a dream. The days will turn into weeks, and weeks into months. Stagnant, boring and lifeless months. I was negative, made bad decisions and stopped caring about school and passions. I would leave class early because I couldn't handle it. I left organizations. I was un-involved in school. While these things were a part of me, they do not define me as a person. What you are going through DOES NOT define you as a human. Everyone is different. Everyone is fighting different battles.

I'm here to tell you that it's okay. That while your constant battle everyday wears you down, you have options. You have a choice to make it better. You just have to try. There are options in finding help for yourself. Because nobody talks about depression, it's almost viewed as a negative thing. Don't let this keep you from being open about it. I hid my feelings for so long in fear of being rejected or judged. Doing this made it worse. I can tell you, people will reject you. You will lose friends. You will loose people during this horrible time in your life. It is okay. You have to make yourself better first. You and your health come FIRST.

While I still face struggles every day, I can tell you that it gets better. It gets so much better once you accept who you are and find help. Hiding your emotions will only create demons within you.

Talk to your friends. Talk to your family. Find resources within your school or community that can help you with whatever you are going through. If you don't think you can do it alone, get help. Getting help shows a sign of strength, not weakness. Nobody in this life is perfect. We all have issues. It's OKAY.

I can tell you that because you experience such lows, you will appreciate the highs even more. You will find a day where you see yourself appreciating life, love and the people around you even more than you did before. You find peace with yourself. You will find peace around you. It is a hard battle, I know. And it make take a long time to feel better. But it's possible to feel better.

Be yourself. Own your flaws. Recognize them. Realize that getting help is strength. Putting yourself first isn't selfish. Having issues and depression should not embarrass you at all. You are only human. And things will get better.