by Tina De Lemos

Created on: January 28, 2010

Depression has been afflicting America for lifetimes; it is not an ailment, it is a way of life.  For me, it is a way for the world to creep in and convince me that life is a tunnel with very little light at the end of it.  Do we get depressed because we are helpless and not able to control things?  Do we get depressed because the people around us do not understand our unwavering battle with self-empowerment and willpower?  I know the worst thing, for me, is when someone tells me, "get off your butt and do something....." or, "stop being lazy and get out of your funk......"  I believe that depression sets in for a reason; we fight and fight to stay strong, sometimes unknowingly digging our own hole to do just that; stay strong and optimistic. 

Our lives are so precious that I think, and I am probably not alone, life is a question of what you fight and how you fight it.  So much of our energy is spent trying to "find the answer" for the reasons we are depressed or sad or even crazy.  So much of our precious time is dedicated to finding ways to combat a thinking that cannot be necessarily fought by outside methods.....e.g. exercise, fresh air and socialization.  I believe that deep down inside each of us, we know the reason for our depression; for our inabilities to deal with someone or something that is bigger than us.  We know, instinctively what ails us, but are unable to face or fight it.....the first step to getting better is to realize that you are a worthy human being and that your own struggles are valid to yourself and the people that see you.

Am I a mirage of myself, or am I a real human being with real issues of survival and stories of struggles of my own?  I hear constantly people saying that "oh, it could be worse; you don't have it that bad....."  Well, the truth is that you do have it that bad and to minimize ANYONE'S feelings; no matter how small, miniscule or great for that matter is to take someone else's suffering and compare it to another's and in doing so defeat the very purpose of each person's own struggle and worth. 

Sometimes, I think the world is my oyster; sometimes, I think it is wretched and the darkness is slowly but surely creeping in.  Therapists will tell you to work on yourself and give their expert advice on subjects which they are struggling with on their own as we speak.  Hard to believe that a very overweight person can give valid advice

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