10 Things You Need to Know If You're Struggling With Depression Right Now

1. Your current abilities do not determine your overall worth.

There are stigmas and misconceptions about depression and what that makes a person who has depression. You are not your illness and you are not your depression. You fight your mental illness every single day and that means you own your depression — it does not own you.

2. It’s OK if you can’t shower.

Let me be perfectly honest. There are many days when I’m far too depressed to even think about stepping into a shower. Dry shampoo has become my best friend.

3. It’s OK to cry.

Sometimes, feeling the feels and letting it all out is like taking a deep breath of fresh air. It feels good to allow yourself to cry because crying does not make you weak nor does it make you less worthy.

4. Do what you can when you can. If you can’t do anything, that’s OK too.

Sometimes it’s about making it to the next day when even that seems like an impossible task.

5. It’s OK if all you did today was breathe.

It’s OK if the only thing you did today was breathe. It’s OK if the only thing you did today was live and make it to the next day.

6. Thinking about yourself and your needs isn’t selfish.

Self-care isn’t selfish. Taking care of your mind is overlooked so much, but please know your mental health is just as important as your physical health.

7. You still have to take your meds.

Being depressed might mean nothing matters to you anymore. Or maybe things matter, but you just don’t have the energy to care. Regardless, forgetting your meds or just not taking them makes you feel even worse.

8. I know it really doesn’t feel like it… But the feeling will pass.

The feeling does eventually pass. It definitely doesn’t feel like it in the moment but it always passes.

9. Be somewhere you feel safe (or the closest thing to safe).

We all (hopefully) have a safe place. A safe place can be anything you want it to be: under the covers, in your bed, in a specific house, in the arms of someone, etc. Use that special place to make you feel as safe as possible, especially when dealing with difficult thoughts.

10. You are not weak.

You are not weak. You are not lazy. You are not unworthy. You are struggling and you push through it anyway. You are the opposite of weak — you are a warrior.