Through my life, I have been told that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. I have been told that depression can be fixed by a small pill everyday that is able to control your emotional imbalances. They chirp, “You are depressed because you do not have enough serotonin!” By taking this pill, all of your problems can be solved. What I came to eventually realize is that I was not depressed because of an imbalance, I was depressed because sometimes life sucks.
Now, I am sure that I could find a much more intelligent word than ‘sucks’, but sometimes, life just downright sucks. People die, people leave, people break up and bad things happen. It is unavoidable at all costs. Bad things are going to creep into your life and it’s going to hurt, and some things will hurt deeper than others. Therefore, you are going to experience periods of deep sadness. If you aren’t, then that’s when you should begin to worry.
When we allow ourselves to believe that we are depressed simply because of an imbalance of chemicals, we are shortcoming ourselves to understanding the world around us. The world consists of a lot of hurt, and it is going to come into our lives. By taking this hurt, and using it as a lesson, we are able to overcome life and it’s curveballs.
By any means, I do not mean to downplay any sort of mental illness, because they do exist, and they are very real. However, daily intake of mood stabilization medication is not always the best offer. If we are able to realize that how we feel is not our fault, we able to overcome the burden. Outside forces are a large part of what we would call depression, and that’s okay.
By believing that our feelings are more than just a lack of chemical opens doors to controlling it. It is not about changing, it is about empowering ourselves to be able to take charge of our emotions and know what is going on with our own bodies. Rather than putting one good in front of another and trudging from cradle to grave, take charge of yourself. Don't blame yourself because of unforeseeable circumstances on your life. When you are able to create this new relationship with yourself, you are able to set free your burdens and live a happier life.
Free yourself from the burden, and love yourself once more. The light at the end of the tunnel is near, and it will make you thankful for fighting through. There is another side of depression, and it is called life. Take control of it, and live it. Don't let life's hurdles get in the way.
