There are fortunate people in the world who have not battled with depression. Depression is a horrible and crippling state of mind that can ruin or even end someone’s life. Everyone has experienced it to some extent. Everyone knows what it’s like to experience a moment of worthlessness or feeling trapped. Some people have easy fixes for that, others don’t. What can you do? There’s therapy, medication, meditation, exercise, music, friends, family, books, art, and even self-help books. There are no words in the English language that can help lift a person’s spirits better than the lyrics of Twisted Sister. The truth is that depression is nothing more than a Dee Snider deficiency.

Ever since they released “Under the Blade", their first studio album, in 1982, Twisted Sister has been rocking the stage harder than anyone else. Dee Snider, their lead singer and lyricist, has also led an amazing life. He is a musician, a filmmaker, an actor, a radio personality, a writer, an activist, a television personality, a spokesperson, and a freedom fighter. He’s been active since the 70’s and, even to this day, has never slowed down. Most people listen to his music and hear the awesome sounding metal music. But if you truly pay attention to the lyrics, you’ll find words more inspirational than anything else in the world. Metal isn’t evil or satanic like some people believe it to be. It’s about strength. It’s about power. It’s about freedom. It’s about being an individual and not giving in to conformity.

"Black sheep of the family, nothing like the rest
Separate from the others, failing all their tests
Can't they see you're different, so hungry and so lean
You're a walking wonder, you're a metal machine
Look and you'll see you're a lot like me"

You're an S.M.F.

- S.M.F. by Twisted Sister

Don’t let anyone talk you down for being different. Appreciate who you are. Be proud of who you are. Be proud of what makes you, you. You are unique. You are special. You are extraordinary. You are an S.M.F. (Sick Mother F*cker). If people say that you’re different, then take it as a compliment. Who wants to be normal? Who wants to be someone who just falls through the cracks? Take the thing that makes you, you. Take the quality that makes you different. Take the stuff that makes you unique, and show the world who you really are. You’re an S.M.F.

"How I tried to please you
Live the way you said
Do the things that you do
Like the living dead

Then the truth, it hit me
Got me off my knees
It's my life I'm living
I'll live as I please

I am and I'll be
I will, you'll see
I am and I'll be
I am, I'm me"

- I Am (I’m Me) by Twisted Sister

Live your life the way you want to live it. Don’t let anyone tell you how you should be spending your life. Go for what makes you happy. If you don’t, then what’s the point? And don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t have what you want. Don’t let them tell you that you aren’t good enough, aren’t smart enough, or aren’t strong enough. Because you are. You can have whatever you want in life as long as you fight for it. Fight hard enough, and you’ll reach the skies.

"Been fighting for so long, don't know which way up is
Been stuck and ripped and burnt till it feels like nothin'
Our time will come and when it's over and it's done
Those fools are gonna know that we ain't bluffin'

We're gonna make it
We'll reach the top
We're gonna make it
And then we're never gonna stop"

- We’re Gonna Make It by Twisted Sister

Fight! Fight as hard as you can. Don’t stop fighting. Fight until you have nothing left. Never give up. Keep fighting. Because if you do, you can have it all. You can reach the top, and then never stop. Hard work will lead to victory. You can do it. If you want it enough and are willing to do whatever it takes, your dreams can be your reality. And once you make it, never ever stop.

"We rocked the 80's like we thought they would never end
We can still bring the house down like we did way back when
We can cuss, we can fight, we can go all night
Still tear it up even though
30 came and went a long, long time ago"

- 30 by Twisted Sister

You can live your life however you want, no matter what side of 30 you’re on. You’re never too old to be young. Don’t let your age depict who you are. Don’t act a certain way or live a certain way because you think you’re supposed to. You can do whatever you want, even if society thinks that you shouldn’t because of the age you are. You can rock. And do it for as long as you want.

"We've got the right to choose it
There ain't no way we'll lose it
This is our life, this is our song

We'll fight the powers that be just
Don't pick our destiny 'cause
You don't know us, you don't belong

Oh we're not gonna take it
No, we ain't gonna take it
Oh we're not gonna take it anymore"

- We’re Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister

No one but you can decide what you do with your life. It’s no one’s choice but your own. You’re the one who has to live it. Don’t listen to the haters. Don’t listen to the powers that be. This is your life. This is your song. You can choose to live it however you want.

"Are you feeling the fire?
Are you ready to explode?
Are your dreams and desires
Riding down an open road?
I'm like a runaway
A heart without a home
Others can laugh and play
I'll fight for every inch I take
I'm desperate to the bone

Stay hungry
Feel the fire
Stay hungry
Don't explode
Stay hungry
With desire
Stay hungry you're alone"

- Stay Hungry by Twisted Sister

Don’t ever lose the hunger. Don’t ever lose the fire inside of you. Stay hungry. Always want it, and keep wanting more. You have the fight inside of you. You have the drive. You can hone that and conquer anything. You can have the world and no one can stop you. Just stay hungry.

So when life gets you down, find a way to cope. Maybe a stress ball or incense. Or maybe you can try on some Twisted Sister for size. Dee Snider writes lyrics to reach out to people who are kindred spirits at heart. If you’re one of those people, then maybe his lyrics can really help you. So just look and you’ll see, you’re a lot like me. You’re an S.M.F.