I have seen depression tear apart lives. I have seen those I love fall victim to this mental illness. I have seen strong people fall into dark holes that they are unable to get out of. I have seen myself do the same. My assault changed my life. I wrote about that in my previous article. I wrote that I will fight for other rape victims, and I will. I have. I am strong, and I will never give up. I didn't leave my assault without mental scars though. I suffer from depression as well. Depression shouldn't be such a stigma. It is something people need to talk about to understand. It is so hard to pull yourself up, but if it is treated you could be unstoppable. It isn't the end though, and people need to start understanding that. It isn't a death sentence.

It started shortly after I entered middle school. It was a life-changing time, and the stress of it really got to me. After months of trying to get me to function, my mother brought me to the doctors. They told me I had depression, and I was put on medication. The words froze me. When my doctor uttered the words I felt my world ending. There was such a simple solution. I could take my medicine and sit in front of my summer lamp, but I couldn't do it. I refused to take my medication. I refused to even believe that I even had depression. If anyone in school found out I had depression my high school career would be over before it even began. I fell deeper and deeper into my version of depression. I refused to leave my house, but I refused to believe I had this mental illness. Depression was something that was gross. Depression was what losers had. Depression was the end of life for anyone that had it.

I soon learned that I was wrong. Every student around me was wrong. The diagnosis was not the end. The end was allowing myself to fall deeper. The end was allowing myself to believe what others said was best for me instead of believing what I knew was better. Depression was the beginning. Those with depression have to learn to fight harder than they thought they could just to do daily tasks. It is a real disease that we can't get rid of. We have to fight ourselves and the world around us. It isn't just coming home and feeling sad after a long day. It is feeling empty inside and wondering if you can go on. There are people like Ellen DeGeneres that are national treasures. She suffers from depression, but at the same time she brings so many people joy. There are also people that leave work and their lives because they can't function. Depression isn't an on and off switch. It's a constant, and it is life changing. It needs to be viewed as a serious disease, but it also needs to be something to talk about. We need to talk about it in order to help. It isn't the end, and it isn't a death sentence. It is something people have to fight through, and it is something we need help with. It isn't a joke. Depression is real. Once we can understand that depression will no longer be a scary diagnosis for teenagers just trying to get through. It will be something to work through. There will be a solution.