Depression is not a death sentence

“I’m so sorry for your loss” these words sound familiar right? Probably because you’ve told it to someone who’s lost a loved one before.

2013 was the darkest year of my life. My mum was battling cancer and the hatred of a classmate for me was beginning to get to me. My mum was very sick and I was so close to hearing those words, words I’d said to people but never really understood the weight.

Eventually mum died and I was heartbroken. I didn’t cry as much as I thought I would but I was shaken to the core. I knew even before she died that she was going to die and I could feel myself crawling deeper into a dark pit.

What happened next?

Slowly I slept into depression. It’s funny when people say “ a Christian cannot be depressed”, it’s not like anyone wants to be depressed, it just crawls up on you without you realizing it. Depression is a psychological problem, not a sin!

Depression affects individuals differently depending on their mental and emotional state. The death of my mum was my trigger, coupled with other things I was dealing with at the time.

My world became gloomy and gray. Nothing made me happy anymore. I was constantly sad and anxious all the time. Things I used to consider fun no longer gave me joy. I didn’t even know that I was depressed, I just knew I wasn’t happy anymore and I was scared.

I’d sit by myself most times crying for no reason at all. I felt anxiety and I was lost. I dreaded gloomy weather and nighttime, they were like a trigger. I felt sadder during those times. Being left alone was scary — and I love my own company.

How did I overcome it?

Disclaimer! It’s about to get religious now so if you have a problem with Christianity then you might want to stop reading.

I prayed. Yes, it was that simple. I bent down on my knees and turned to my creator for help. I’m a big fan of Jesus and a firm believer in his mighty works. He was the only answer I could find. I meditated on the scriptures, prayed, sang and it worked superbly.

The bible has all the answers on life. I remembered this and I decided to search for help in the great library, the bible

I was so scared my life was going to be constantly shadowed by gloom and I would never know what it’s like to be happy again. But I knew I had a friend that deeply cared and I went to my friend and he helped.

I decided to let go of the burdens weighing heavily on my heart. I cut off that girl I talked about and stayed away from negativity. I decided to focus on things that made me happy.

Ending remarks

Yes, during depression you might feel like you’re sick of being sad and you just want to end it, but I’m telling you that’s not the best answer. I’ve been there, so I’m not speaking just for speaking sake but I’m saying there are other ways you can help yourself. It’s possible to get out of it, just like me. I was determined and I knew that wasn’t the life I wanted to live.

A lot of people and organizations are aware of the severity of depression, so there are lots of helplines and rehabilitation centers. Don’t feel too shy to get therapy if you feel like you are depressed, stop bothering about what others might think, and stop faking your smiles and pretending to be fine. Get help, it’s important.

What works for Jack doesn’t necessarily work for jane. So, you have to find out how best to get over your depression. Maybe just like me, prayer can help, but if not try therapy. Talk to someone, don’t leave it all bottled up.