I am not writing this for sympathy or to seek attention of those around me, I am simply writing to raise awareness.

Have you ever been in a place where you are just unhappy? You cannot put your finger on what is going on??

I have been. Just recently actually.

I am just like any other college student. I work my tail off, I go to school, I strive to get the best grades I can, and sometimes life just gets in the way.

I think every once in a while, you get so used to being in a routine that once it gets disturbed you aren't really sure what to do.

I was just carrying on with my normal life, when all of the sudden we have a family member hospitalized not doing well.

UHHHHHH..... This WAS NOT in my plans.

I find out I'm a little farther from graduating than I originally thought.....$h*t...this wasn't planned either. I cannot. I will not. I don't want to be in school longer than I'm supposed to.

What about that feeling when you stress over stuff that hasn't even happened? I remember at one point in my life not being able to picture any sort of a future. I didn't think I would want to get married, have kids, or even know what I was going to do for the rest of my life career wise.

Then I got into an amazing relationship annnnnnnnd now I want all of the above.

Now I have all this stress I talked about earlier, work, school, family.....ANNNNND all of the sudden all of these amazing visions I have of my future fade away....

I. Can't. See. ANYTHING in my future.

That makes me want to cry and hide for weeks.

Work is hectic, school starts getting stressful, your family member isn't doing well, and you're working your butt off still trying to do your best with all of it, including living a healthy lifestyle. You hardly sleep, even though you do, you constantly feel exhausted, and you feel terrible... all the time.

THIS HAS BEEN MY LAST FEW WEEKS.

I don't do well being stressed out. Not only does it affect me, it affects those around me. I'm not my normal self, I cry at the smallest of things.. It's aweful. Its miserable. It's truly the worst feeling ever.

The first step though, it to recognize what is going on...and if you don't, I'm sure someone around you will notice the change in you...that's exactly how this happened for me. My boyfriend bugged me for a couple of weeks saying, "you aren't yourself, what's up."

I said the same things over, and over, and oooover....

FINALLY I BROKE.

I broke down, cried, recognized what was going on, and now I'm on the road to recovery.

I truly believe that depression is a real thing, but there are plenty of ways to cure it rather than medications.

Find what makes you happy, exercise helps me a ton, and do it.

Take a break from what is going on around you.

Watch funny videos on the internet if need be.

Laugh, Love, and Live.

You will feel better in the long run, I promise.