My blog post for today will be about depression and suicide. I think that when people hear these words, they aren't really sure what to do or say. No one's sure how to really handle the subjects. But let me be very real with you; depression and suicide are very, very serious, and people everywhere need to come to understand these matters better. People all over the world struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts/tendencies, and people die from suicide attempts too often. Depression is more than just a bad day, and it's not something someone can overcome easily. Suicide is not a joke. These matters are very serious.
I, myself, have struggled with depression. This is hard for me to say (or rather write), seeing as for most of my life I tried to hide it. There has always been a bad stigma around the word, and I was always scared of what people would think of me, and in some ways, I still am. But due to recent events, I want people to know that they aren't alone in their battle. There are people who know what it's like and there are people who can, and want to, help. We can all get through the things that are thrown at us. We don't have to give up. There is more, and it sounds so cliche, but it can all get better. In time it will. By pushing through and enduring, you can get somewhere. Time and effort are important. Sometimes you just have to wait things out until they fall into place. You have to put in the energy to continue telling yourself to never give up on your life and on yourself. It took almost my entire life for me to find and understand what true happiness was. I saw a lot of people to try and help me. I'm lucky I had my family that kept on wanting me to be happy. I'm lucky everything turned out how it did, because for a while, I really wasn't sure there was much going for me.
I know what it's like to feel so low that you don't want to really live anymore. It's a feeling I will never wish on anyone. It sucks. It's terrible to feel bad everyday and not want to wake up. It's terrible to fake your happiness everyday because you don't want people to know, or for other reasons of your own. When I reflect on how I got to where I am today and how I finally really feel joy, I'm amazed. It wasn't easy by far, and I spent a long time being angry and sad because the progression was slow, but I got through it and I'm alive. I know it's not going to be like that for everyone. I know people aren't going to see any hope. I wish they did, and I wish people knew that there were others who cared about them, and how they have an impact, but they won't always. I know that as an emotional counselor/therapist I won't be able to save everyone, I won't be able to help every person, but I want to try. I want people to have hope. It's upsetting to see and hear about people taking their lives, and that's why I want to do what I want to do. I want to help people so those stories don't happen as much. Perhaps that's just some crazy dream, but it's true.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave a speech at BYU several years ago (I suggest you read it, although long), which is where the quote below comes from. There's a Mormon Message titled "Good Things to Come" that still brings tears to my eyes and it has meant a lot to me since the day I first saw it, also by Elder Holland, which I suggest you watch as well. But, this is the quote from his talk:
I know that not everyone who reads this will believe in a God or even a higher power, and I'm not going to tell you that you can never get through your trials because you don't believe in God, or that you don't matter. So even if you're religious/spiritual or not, or our religious beliefs differ a bit, I still know that there are people that care about you and that you don't have to suffer through things by yourself. You don't have to think you're worthless or that something is too hard for you, and you don't have to think that you don't have much to live for. There are solutions, there are ways that you can get help and you can get better. You have to figure out what works for you so you can live a happy, successful life for yourself.
I, myself, have struggled with depression. This is hard for me to say (or rather write), seeing as for most of my life I tried to hide it. There has always been a bad stigma around the word, and I was always scared of what people would think of me, and in some ways, I still am. But due to recent events, I want people to know that they aren't alone in their battle. There are people who know what it's like and there are people who can, and want to, help. We can all get through the things that are thrown at us. We don't have to give up. There is more, and it sounds so cliche, but it can all get better. In time it will. By pushing through and enduring, you can get somewhere. Time and effort are important. Sometimes you just have to wait things out until they fall into place. You have to put in the energy to continue telling yourself to never give up on your life and on yourself. It took almost my entire life for me to find and understand what true happiness was. I saw a lot of people to try and help me. I'm lucky I had my family that kept on wanting me to be happy. I'm lucky everything turned out how it did, because for a while, I really wasn't sure there was much going for me.
I know what it's like to feel so low that you don't want to really live anymore. It's a feeling I will never wish on anyone. It sucks. It's terrible to feel bad everyday and not want to wake up. It's terrible to fake your happiness everyday because you don't want people to know, or for other reasons of your own. When I reflect on how I got to where I am today and how I finally really feel joy, I'm amazed. It wasn't easy by far, and I spent a long time being angry and sad because the progression was slow, but I got through it and I'm alive. I know it's not going to be like that for everyone. I know people aren't going to see any hope. I wish they did, and I wish people knew that there were others who cared about them, and how they have an impact, but they won't always. I know that as an emotional counselor/therapist I won't be able to save everyone, I won't be able to help every person, but I want to try. I want people to have hope. It's upsetting to see and hear about people taking their lives, and that's why I want to do what I want to do. I want to help people so those stories don't happen as much. Perhaps that's just some crazy dream, but it's true.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave a speech at BYU several years ago (I suggest you read it, although long), which is where the quote below comes from. There's a Mormon Message titled "Good Things to Come" that still brings tears to my eyes and it has meant a lot to me since the day I first saw it, also by Elder Holland, which I suggest you watch as well. But, this is the quote from his talk:
I know it isn't always easy to be happy and we all have different things that we are really struggling with, but I know that in time, things will be okay and there are good things/resources/people that can and will help you.
I hope that someday you can find your true happiness if you haven't already found it. I hope you won't give up on you and all that you can become. I hope that you can be your best, true self. I hope you won't let depression and suicide win, because you can be, and are, so much stronger than both.
---Maggie
P.S- Some online resources and numbers below. Everyone deserves help no matter their age, race, or gender identity/sexual orientation.
US Suicide Prevention Number: 1(800) 273-8255
The Trevor Project Number: 866-488-7386
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