I have been on antidepressants since I was 14 years old.

Over the last ten years, I have been mocked, ridiculed, and coddled when it comes to the fact that I take medication for my depression. If you have a mental illness, you know that it doesn't just go away. There is no cure. You will experience remission and you may never have those symptoms again, but you have to live with the fact that it may or may not come back. There is no shame in taking medication, going to therapy, or taking some time off to take care of yourself to get better and get to a better place in life.

You can go through life and have a bad day. People have bad days whether or not they have depression. You're allowed to cry. You're allowed to feel sad and angry. I have had boyfriends, friends, and family members all tell me that I'm crazy. They have questioned whether or not I have "taken my crazy pills", despite being medicated for years. Yes, I took my medication. No, they are not "crazy pills". You're an asshole. Did you take your asshole pills?

You are not any less of a person for having a mental illness. At a bar, I told the bartender I only wanted just one drink so I would not have to open a tab. I mentioned in conversation that I take antidepressants, so I try not to drink a lot. Her demeanor instantly changed. She apologized to me and told me life can be really hard. The rest of the night, she looked over me like a mother bear. She meant well, but would she have acted that way if there wasn't such a stigma for taking medication?

Major depressive disorder is the number one cause of disability in the United States. It affects 16.1 million people in the country or about 6% of the population over the age of 18.

I've done therapy sessions, I've changed my lifestyle to incorporate more time to take care of myself. I eat healthier, exercise, meditate, do yoga, journal, and my sleeping schedule is the epitaph of health. I am not ashamed of taking care of myself. I deserve to be happy.

Not everyone responds to medication in the same way. It took me almost a year to find the right combination of drugs and doses when I needed to have my prescription adjusted. 30% of people with depression never respond to any type of medication at all. That's why there are tools for us like therapy. Antidepressants are just another tool that can be used to help us.

If you take antidepressants, don't let your friends and family tell you that you are using them as a crutch or that you're a drug addict. You wouldn't tell a diabetic that his insulin is a crutch. It's not "all in your head". There is no shame in needing medication. If you find something that is working for you, do it! Don't let others jeopardize your health and your happiness.

If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.