I remember the first time I tried to tell someone that I needed help.
My mother and I were sitting in the car and it took every breath within me to choke up the words, "I am sad." Sadly, she didn't really understand what I was trying to say, so I just let it go.
About a month later, I was with my best friend, sitting in her car, in her driveway and I told her everything. She listened to me spill my guts about how I hadn't been truly happy in months and how I cried myself to sleep every night. I told her about how I would pick fights with my family members, and then become devastated once they were mad at me. I told her that things that once excited me, like junior prom, were now a huge source of anxiety. Worst of all, I told her that sometimes, I wished that I could just disappear.
I was driving on a dangerous path, and it was clear to both of us that if nothing changed, I was on the verge of an accident.
So, we decided that I needed to make an appointment with my doctor. Of course, it was hard; I had to repeat all of these thoughts and feelings to my doctor. Once she decided that I needed to be on medication, my life changed. I was enthusiastic about going out with my friends and getting out of bed in the morning. I finally felt like myself again.
Almost five years later, there is still a stigma around taking medication for depression. The most important thing to remember, is that this is your life, and you only have one. You deserve to be just as happy as everyone else and there is nothing wrong with needing help. You don't want something that is so incredibly preventable to cause something irreversible. This article is dedicated to my best friend, who encouraged me to seek professional help. Without her, I don't know where I would be today.