Acknowledging Progress

While my battle with depression is ongoing, I believe it is important to recognize the accomplishments I have made throughout this process. Over the past week, I have made an effort to connect with my mom every day, even if it was just a brief exchange of goodnights. I have also taken three showers and changed my bedding, simple actions that represent meaningful steps forward.

Reengaging with Life

I spent time watching television in my living room and enjoyed sitting out on my porch. During one of those moments, a long-time friend happened to drive by and stopped to visit with me, reminding me of the value of companionship and support.

The Search for Healing

Whenever I was prescribed a new medication, doctors would emphasize the importance of therapy, explaining that the combination of medication and therapy could be helpful. I have attempted therapy twice and tried countless medications. There were times when I attempted to hide from my depression or pretend it didn’t exist, but those strategies proved ineffective. I tried coping by curling up in bed and letting the pain consume me.

A Personal Coping Strategy

One approach I found was to give myself twenty minutes each day to grieve those I have lost. During that time, I allowed myself to feel the full weight of my depression and pain, sometimes sitting at a gravesite and letting my tears flow. After those twenty minutes, I would seek something beautiful to focus on—the sky, a bird, the scenery, or the lyrics of a song. The pain was left in those twenty minutes, and for the rest of the day, I pushed myself to be fine. While this method helped a little, I realized that I was just masking the pain for the remainder of the day.

Understanding Depression

My experience has taught me that there is no single solution for depression that works for everyone. It is important to try different strategies and discover what truly helps you feel better and begin to heal over time.

Finding Unexpected Healing

I never expected this blog to impact me the way it has. Initially, I thought it would simply allow me to unburden myself, but it has helped me gain new perspectives, work through challenges, and most importantly, begin to heal parts of myself that have been broken for so long. This is the smile of a girl who is starting to heal from her silent cries.