What I Should Have Told Friends About My Depression
I often struggled with depression and anxiety throughout my teenage years and into adulthood. During that period, I had a difficult time maintaining friendships because of my depression.
There are so many things I wish I could have told friends about my journey, but didn’t. I didn’t want them to look down on me because of the stigma surrounding depression.
I should have told my friends that none of this is their fault and nothing they did caused me to feel this way.
I should have told my friends I don’t mean to lash out at them; it just happens from time to time.
I should have told my friends that I don’t like to cancel our plans; I don’t want them to see me in a negative state of mind.
I should have told them behind my smile and laugher there’s a lot of pain that I hide day in and day out, because I feel like I have to be the inspiration of the group.
I should have told my friends sometimes I need a hug and someone to tell me I’ll be OK.
I should have told my friends that I don’t mean to cry at random times, sometimes it all gets too much for me to handle.
I should have told my friends I love you and appreciate everything you’ve done for me, like staying up with me until 3 a.m. on a school night to hear me vent and cry.
I should have told my friends I’ve been feeling this way for a while now.
I should have told my friends that sometimes things could be overwhelming for me, so please take it easy on me.
I should have told my friends I don’t mean to become too emotional over the smallest things that upset me — it just happens.
I should have told my friends I don’t mean to ignore their your messages for days at a time. Sometimes I need my space to get better, but believe me it means the world to me when you reach out to me.
I should have told my friends I’ll overcome this. This phase won’t last forever, so please don’t give up hope, because one day I’ll be back to the bestie you had who was the social butterfly of the group.
I should have told my friends I’m sorry if I hurt you through my battle with depression. I didn’t mean for that to happen the way it did.
I should have told my friends that despite what I’m going through, I love you and always will.
I should have told my friends that my depression doesn’t define who I am — I’m just Tylia.
Photo by Hian Oliveira on Unsplash
Tylia L. Flores is a twenty-eight-year-old born with Spastic Cerebral Palsy. Despite her condition that affects her mobility, she does not allow it to affect her will and determination to make a difference in the world. Through her many life challenges and obstacles, she discovered her passion for writing. Tylia’s goal in life is to share her stories with the world. In doing so, she hopes to help others with disabilities realize that they, too, have the potential to make their dreams come true. Tylia is not only an author. She’s a radio show personality and a disability activist. Tylia has written about disability-related topics for Yahoo Life, Your Tango, The Mighty, ReadUnwritten.com, Words Between Coasts Project, Wednesday, Spilwords, and Goble Thrive. Worth Living Among her other appearances are Disability on the Spectrum and Why I was Afraid of Sexuality. Previously, Tylia was nominated to Diversabilities list of the most influential Disability Impacts of 2022. Additionally, Tylia holds the position of chairman in the creative director role for the North American Association Of Cerebral Palsy Advocates. She serves as a mentor for the Disability EmpowHer Network as well. Tylia also works for Write It Up Publishing as a sensitivity reader focusing on disability representation. Tylia has also been involved in many movie press releases for Samuel Goldwyn Films Come as you are Piece of me which was the short film directed and written by award winning filmmaker Bruna Cabral as well as the film adaptation of the book Calvin can’t fly by Jenifer Burnes Tylia is also a keynote speaker at 2020’s Cerebral Palsy Awareness conference. She has also been a guest speaker at Northeastern State University Broken Arrow where she talks to college students about disability and inclusion in education. She has also been a guest speaker at Plantation Middle School, where she discussed inclusion and disability with classmates. Tylia is fully certified in Education for All: Disability, Diversity, and Inclusion through Cape Town University. She’s also certified in Understanding Diversity and Inclusion through Purdue University. She’s also certified in creative writing at the University of East Anglia. Tylia hosts the Stomping On cerebral Palsy radio show with DJ Ty on Asheville FM with DJ Mouse during the Come On In the Kitchen segment once a month she also helps the staff behind the scenes, help bring awareness to disability awareness and inclusion within the radio broadcasting industry .
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