When people hear the word Depression, they often associate it with the word sadness. People often assume that people with depression are just having a "bad day" and their day will get better if they just think about "happy thoughts" or they just "snap out of it". These assumptions lead to hurtful or insensitive comments like "Why can't you be happy" or "Are you sure you are trying to get better?". It can be dismissive of such a horrible and devastating disease that can take over someone's whole entire life.

1. Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain.

Depression is a chemical imbalance of the brain. The brain doesn't produce enough dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.

2. Depression and sadness are two different things.

Sadness is a normal emotion everybody has and it goes away in a few days. Depression is a persistent sadness that can last for weeks, months or even years.

3. It's okay to talk about it.

Talk about it with us, don't treat it like a stigma like it's a bad thing.

4. We're not lazy, we're exhausted.

Sometimes we're constantly tired all the time for no reason at all. But that doesn't make us lazy.

5. Depression isn't a choice.

We didn't choose to be depressed. It can affect multiple things in your life like education, work, and family.

6. Depression doesn't mean you're weak.

Having depression doesn't mean that you're weak, you've been through a lot of hardship in your life. In my eyes, you are strong.

7. Sometimes people with depression feel like a burden and feel like they're too much to handle.

The best thing you can do is to reassure them that they aren't a burden and that they are loved.

8. We can still have good days.

Just because we have depression doesn't mean we don't have our good days.

9. Small achievements to you can mean a big deal to us.

If we're having a really bad day, sometimes just getting out of bed and talking to others means a lot to us.

10. We appreciate your kind words and loving support.

Nothing more important to us is family and friend's love and support for us.

11. We really are trying our best to get through it.

We try our hardest every day to get through the rough patches in our life.

12. Yes, some of us take medication.

But that doesn't make us weird, it actually has saved some people's lives.