I constantly zone out and stare hopelessly...blankly into space. My husband asks what is wrong and how he can help. He is clearly worried about me. No matter how much my heart is screaming out for help and comfort, I brush him aside and withdraw all the more.
This is what depression usually looks like for me – zoning out, withdrawal from everyone, hopelessness, and laying on my couch or bed buried in blankets, attempting to hide from the world while pushing away those I most love. Depression is one of the hardest things I have ever dealt with. I never know how long it might last. It is inexplicable, and painful. It comes at the worst possible moments. It is often debilitating. It hurts me and my loved ones.
As trying as depression is for me, I realize I experience a more mild form of it than many people do. Sadly, depression seems to be an ever-growing issue. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression affects around 40 million adults or 18% of the United States population. Worldwide, at least 350 million people suffer from depression. These numbers are staggering.
There is no single answer to the issue of depression. There is no single way to fix the problem, but there are many ways to come together and make a difference. One of the most popular ways of helping is an overall societal push to end the stigma attached to depression and other mental disorders. I believe that to be a noble cause, but I think that is only part of the solution.
The second part of the solution is for individuals who suffer from depression and other mental disorders to put all fear aside and be willing to open up about the struggles they face. When I first began dealing with depression, I hid from everyone I loved by shutting them out of my life. I was not open in the least. Through the help of my husband (who also sometimes deals with similar issues), I finally realized that what I was experiencing was turning me into someone I hated and was far from normal. By opening up, I was able to get the help I needed and began to learn how to deal with the depression I was experiencing in a healthy manner.
Opening up about depression is tough. If you are in the midst of it, being open to others is likely the last thing you want to do. Opening up is necessary though. Opening up about depression allowed me to find community and solidarity. When I opened up, other people in my life did too. I learned that I was not alone in my struggle. I didn't have to feel weird or wrong anymore.
If we are willing to be honest about depression, we can find others that are facing the same things we are and encourage, support and uplift one another. We may not be able to completely solve the issue, but we can create a sense of peace, normalcy and acceptance surrounding depression and mental illnesses. After all, isn't that what we all want out of life anyway?
