“I felt very still and very empty, the way an eye of a tornado must feel, moving dully along in the middle of the surrounding hullaboo.” – Sylvia Plath.
Depression is complex, multi-faceted, and different for different people. Still, most of the time there is a deep, terrible emotional darkness with embodied isolation and turmoil. Some people lay in bed all day, sleeping. Others cannot sleep. Some people stop eating. Others gain weight. You may become easily irritated or frustrated, with everything setting you on edge. Sometimes it is difficult to concentrate, make decisions, or memory can be affected. The dark clouds of depression sap your energy, you can feel tired and sluggish all the time with difficulty concentrating. Things you enjoyed in the past aren’t fun anymore.
When depression takes over, it’s hard to have hope. And one of the worst feelings can be hopelessness: the future feels bleak. If depression continues to worsen, some people may contemplate self-harm, ending their life, or even become psychotic losing touch with reality. Depression is a terribly debilitating, painful and lonely condition.
However, there are good treatments available. Talk therapy and medication are excellent options, and can be done together. Discovering healthy coping mechanisms and treatments are a good start to feeling better and finding your way out of the darkness and back into the light.
If you or a loved one are thinking about suicide, please dial 988 on your phone to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Someone will be available to help you 24/7.
