"One Time I Was Depressed for a Couple Days."

Like panic attacks, if you have never experienced a lasting depression, one of the most frustrating things for those of us who have to hear is - "One time I was depressed for a couple days, but then I got over it."

I am not dismissing what you were feeling or denying that you were depressed, but there is a difference between a few days of depression that you pull out of and a few weeks, months, or years that no matter what you do you cannot shake. 

This video is one of the best I have seen that gives a peek at what living with depression is really like.

In the last two blogs I shared an interview with my friend Erica that focused on her battle with depression. Among a host of other things, she is also a gifted writer. On August 14th, 2014, she wrote this short piece about depression aptly titled, 'The Joy Thief.'

"Depression is a cruel joy thief. It takes everything you love, everything that encompasses a person, and replaces it with a horrific illusion of nothingness, that becomes a twisted view of reality. One starts to believe this new nothing reality, and suddenly the appeal to live life, starts to slip. Relationships cease to matter, motivation is laughable, getting out of bed is torture and you wish to spit on the ridiculous notion of “carpe diem. “  

Joy, not even a hint of it, is found in the everyday and slowly but surely, despair grasps the mind with icy hands and the breakdown of the psyche continues. Despair erodes the mind and eats the soul. It isolates you and screams “worthless, worthless, you are creation most vile, most despised!” The mind starts to feel trapped and isolated with mournful whispers of self hatred, and the dark refrain continues to sound, over and over. Solace is sought in insolation far away from the last remnants of light and love, and the tragic lie sinks down to the chambers of the heart and imprisons the soul. Everything is darkest night and there is no longer joy or love, or laughter, and hope is silenced. Fear, anxiety, and shame become your unholy wardens,and they only joy is theirs as they delight in beating you down, and feasting on your remains. Endless night after endless night, all is torment and agony, but then. 

Yes then, right as it seemed as if all that will ever be known is complete and total despair and brokenness, Love simply walked in. It has been there since the beginning, always whispering, but other voices were louder, drowning it out. So ever patient, it waited until the exact moment when the rending of soul occurred,because it is at that moment, that the heart becomes the most receptive. Love, in its perfection, casts out fear, and anxiety, and shame, it takes despair by the throat and breaks it, only to restore it to hope most radiant. It washes clean the festering places of the soul, where ancient wounds have been left to rot and poison the being. It returns joy and depression recedes to where it is a long ago, but intimately familiar nightmare. The mind clears and soul awakes to Truth and Light, and suddenly life has new and profound meaning. " 

- Erica Gordon

For more information about depression and how you can help, I strongly recommend this video guide about 'The Black Dog' put out by the World Health Organization.