A big part of being human is recognizing that there will be good days, and there will be bad days. But depression is a widespread mental illness that affects an estimated 5% of adults worldwide. It can be rooted in everything from societal stressors to chemical imbalances to genetically inherited traits.
In other words, on the sliding scale of nature versus nurture, depression can sprout from a variety of sources. Family histories can reveal patterns of depression, for instance, or traumatic life events can set off an episode or series of depressive episodes: a death in the family, unemployment, political conflict.
No matter the cause, it is important to find ways to cope with and combat depression, whether it be talk therapy or medication or support groups. And it is crucial for those suffering from depression to remember they are not alone.
This is where words of reassurance can often play their biggest role: to remind us that though we are struggling, it won’t always be so hard. There are others who have experienced similar pain and come through it, inspiring hope for a better, joy-filled future.
If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.Fred Rogers
My brain and my heart are really important to me. I don't know why I wouldn't seek help to have those things be as healthy as my teeth. I go to the dentist. So why wouldn't I go to a shrink?Kerry Washington
Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.Helen Keller
It is okay to have depression, it is okay to have anxiety, and it is okay to have an adjustment disorder. We need to improve the conversation. We all have mental health in the same way we all have physical health.Prince Harry
Sadness is but a wall between two gardens.Khalil Gibran
What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, and more unashamed conversation.Glenn Close
A pearl is a beautiful thing that is produced by an injured life. It is the tear [that results] from the injury of the oyster. The treasure of our being in this world is also produced by an injured life. If we had not been wounded, if we had not been injured, then we will not produce the pearl.Stephan A. Hoeller
I found that with depression, one of the most important things you could realize is that you’re not alone.Dwayne Johnson
You are the one thing in this world, above all other things, that you must never give up on … Asking for help is the first step. You are more precious to this world than you'll ever know.Lili Reinhart
It's my mission to share this with the world and to let them know that there is life on the other side of those dark times that seem so hopeless and helpless. I want to show the world that there is life — surprising, wonderful and unexpected life after diagnosis.Demi Lovato
If you know someone who's depressed, please resolve to never ask why. Depression isn't a straightforward response to a bad situation; depression just is, like the weather.Stephen Fry
I had everything I needed to be happy. And yet, for much of the last year, I felt unhappy. I started taking an antidepressant, which helped and I started sharing the news with friends and family — I felt like everyone deserved an explanation, and I didn’t know how else to say it other than the only way I know: just saying it. It got easier and easier to say it aloud every time.Chrissy Teigen
Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.Leonard Cohen
Take a shower, wash off the day. Drink a glass of water. Make the room dark. Lie down and close your eyes. Notice the silence. Notice your heart. Still beating. Still fighting. You made it, after all. You made it, another day. And you can make it one more. You’re doing just fine.Charlotte Eriksson
Featured image credit: santhoshsivan/ Unsplash
