Stigma: a mark of disgrace associated with a particular 

circumstance, 

quality, or 

person.

 

I speak my truth, to very few,

I am dep-

But I stop myself and imagine what their reaction would be, shocked like when you’re favorite character in a show dies unexpectedly, imagine being looked at like that, it scares me.

So I say, I get really emotional sometimes, 

Because I can’t dare say those words.  

 

Why they ask, why do you get emotional, depressed? 

Sometimes I don’t even know,

But for some it’s,

Stress

Friend or family  issues

Anxiety

Trauma

Another mental issue

Genetics

Conflict

Failure

And more

But in the worst situations you don’t even know what causes it or that you are depressed.

 

Oh come on you’re just upon sad times.

So you’re crazy like someone in a mental institution?

I don’t know how I can help you.

You’ll get through it. You just need to find yourself.

Is the rest of your family crazy like you?

It’s just a bump in the road.

You’re too young to be depressed, depression is only for people who have been through hard things.

It’s just how life is, deal with it.

 

They don’t mean to but they do it. They just don’t know, there is no awareness except what people see in the media,

that being depressed makes you different, 

incapable. 

 

But there’s also, 

Are you okay?

Do you need anything?

Want to talk?

“No, i’m okay” Isn’t that what we all say

...It’s at least what I say

Do they actually care?

Are they just asking that because they see my tears representing pain roll down my face while my face turns so red from embarrassment?

They’ve never checked up before are they just doing it because they fell they have to?

It’s what we all think

...It’s at least what I think

We don’t feel like it is socially acceptable to express being depressed because all we see in the media is this stigma around depression.

 

Counselor’s tell us it’s okay to open up with how we feel, 

that it’s normal, 

we aren’t alone.

So, why do majority of teens never talk to anyone about it and why do 60% of teens who have suffered a major depressive episode didn’t receive treatment of any kind?

That 60% is of 3.1 million teens, 12-17 in the U.S. that have had 

at least one major depressive episode.

That was of 2018, and that number has rapidly been going up.

Because of the idea that is put into our heads, put into so many peoples heads.

What is that idea?

 

That people with depression are different than the rest. 

Yes I’m different in the sense that I’m depressed and that I feel differently about things.

But I’m not slow, I’m still capable of doing anything.

So am I really that different because a baby, me, and 90yr old are all going to feel differently, mine just may be more extreme.

 

But that’s not it,

These situations/feelings happen too often because of that stigma that follows the words “I am depressed”

The repetitive cycle of going to the counselor, getting “advice” and then nothing working is exhausting.

They tell me it’s okay to be alone but then I’m on my own 

They tell me to express but then I’m less

They tell me to share but then people stare

And for some of us those stares are just too hard to bare.

 

There is a way to reduce that 60% to 0

Normalize it.

 

Anyone with depression has no control over being depressed or having a depressive episode, it just happens.

They don’t want it, but they have it.

So, why should we make it worse for them.

People shouldn't have to pretend that they're not something they are,

they should just be able to come out and say

 

I am depressed.

After saying those three words it doesn't change who I am, 

It makes me stronger 

Because I’ve been going through this crap basically alone 

But I am not hiding it anymore.