How I Combat the Lies Depression Tells Me

If you have ever experienced any form of depression, whether it be postpartum depression, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, or dysthymia, you know that depression has its own “voice.”

Depression talks to you differently than you would normally talk to yourself. Depression is not kind. You would never speak to someone you love the way depression talks to you. Depression lies. These lies feed into the sorrow it has already placed on your soul.

I have struggled with major depression since I was 15. I tend to think of my depression voice as a male. For a long time, he haunted my mind. Though he wakes up on occasion to rear his ugly head, I have surrounded myself with ways to take back the reins and people who help me do it.

Depression has lied to me many times before. He has told me I am stupid, ugly, not good enough and unworthy of love. Perhaps one of the biggest lies depression has told me is I am alone.

During my senior year of high school, I lost my best and only friend. It was a complicated split that took me a long time to get over. This fed into depression’s voice. He loves to tell me I have no friends.

Over time,  I have learned a valuable skill in talking back to my depression. It isn’t always easy, and I don’t always remember to do it, but this reality checking is vitally important.

When depression seeps in and tries to tell me I am alone, I need to stand my ground firm and talk back to him. I am not alone. I have my family. I have my therapist. I have an aunt who I know loves me. I have a wonderful best friend and though I do not get to see her often, we talk every day. I’ve made a couple of friends at school. I have people I still talk to from my Forensics team. I have a church family. I am not alone.

It is easy to believe depression’s lies when we feel so much ache within. It is not easy to talk back to him, but you are so much stronger than he is. This is your body. This is your mind. I know it isn’t enough to will him away. It takes time and it takes work, but let talking back to the lies depression tells you be the first step in taking yourself back.

Look around you. Do some reality checking. You will be amazed by what you see. I know I was.

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Thinkstock photo via IgorIgorevich.