Why the Stigma on Depression Has to End

Sometimes you don't want to get out of bed, even though you haven't slept. Maybe people can see it in your eyes or hear it in your voice. You aren't contagious, so why won't we talk about it? I mean real conversation. When people talk about depression, its through posting the suicide hotline on Facebook or making mental health a pissing contest about who has it worse. Sick of it? Me too. Let's talk about it.

Okay, so you're depressed. You think you can hide it and carry on. Or maybe you've opened up to a friend? Good. Some friends are fantastic, some people "get it". More than likely, your friend says, "I'm here if you need to talk" or they freak out and try to get you to commit. This blog entry isn't a cry for help, so this brings me to my ultimate point. It's okay to be depressed. It's okay to be antisocial, it's okay to be bi-polar, its okay. It's okay. The point is yes, these afflictions must be taken seriously, HOWEVER these conditions or sentiments aren't a death sentence and they are certainly not a call to be exiled by friend groups. Depressive conditions must be normalized before real solutions in social settings can be improved. Sometimes, a good pal may come out as a depressed person and suddenly their friend group feels uncomfortable in his presence or refuse to talk about his condition. He suddenly becomes a burden to his social circle or his cohorts begin to walk on eggshells near him. It's truly a strange phenomenon, but it's real. Depression isn't running in the streets begging for someone to murder you, it's maybe taking a little longer to fold your laundry or not showering when you wake up. In addition, depressive disorders are legitimate medical conditions and not a reason your friend to gives you so he doesn't have to go out that night. The good news is that there is more awareness growing every single day and medications are becoming more available and importantly, more effective.

 I'm certainly not going to beat a dead horse on this point or call for some social justice uproar, I am asking you to check in on your friends and to be the best you can be. I want every single person to understand their worth, but I can't. We need to to look each other in the eye and say, "it's okay". Why? Because that's what friends do. You won't catch "the sad", that's for sure. I'm certainly no expert, so I just thought I'd preach a little bit and leave the facts to the professionals. You are not alone.

Here are some resources for learning more about depression. Love you all. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depression_(mood)
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml
https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-symptoms-and-types