23 Tweets That Perfectly Describe the Reality of Depression

Because it can be hard to describe what depression is like in real life, #ThisIsWhatDepressionFeelsLike is inviting people to share the experiences on Twitter. Using the hashtag — an offshoot of #ThisIsWhatAnxietyFeelsLike — people have been having honest conversations about the harsh reality of living with depression. Their descriptions are powerful, and a reminder that however dark it might get, you’re never alone.

Here are some of the tweets that resonated with us:

1.

“No one cares about me. I don’t matter.” #ThisIsWhatDepressionFeelsLike

— Sarah Fader (@TheSarahFader) March 8, 2017

2. 

Every single meal is a bowl of cardboard and sawdust pretending (and failing) to be a warm hearty stew. #ThisIsWhatDepressionFeelsLike

— ⚡️Phonesy⚡️ (@WhimsyPuffs) February 25, 2017

3. 

Sleeping for 16 hours and still being tired #ThisIsWhatDepressionFeelsLike

— Lewis Lit (@jkropps) February 25, 2017

4. 

#ThisIsWhatDepressionFeelsLike
Lost in a world of people who don’t understand.

— Wilspec (@HobbsWil) February 25, 2017

5.

Having a thousand things to say but not having the will or the “universe’s permission” to say anything. #ThisIsWhatDepressionFeelsLike

— (((Michael Dove))) (@michaeldove) February 25, 2017

6. 

Feeling like a Fake when people tell you your story is inspiring and you’re brave for sharing it.#ThisIsWhatDepressionfeelslike

— Jean-François Claude (@DysthymicDad) February 25, 2017

7. 

The sun may be shining for other people, but all you see is darkness. #ThisIsWhatDepressionFeelsLike

— Jennifer Neyhart (@JenniferNeyhart) February 25, 2017

8.

#WhatDepressionFeelsLike always walking up a steep hill or riding a bicycle into a strong wind

— Dissenting Dave ???????? (@Dave_in_SoPo) March 10, 2017

9. 

#whatdepressionfeelslike nothing. because you are numb all the time.

— lAW9M (@SusanLeeLaw) February 25, 2017

10.

No one understands how I feel on the inside & it’s like I’m alone on an island that no one can reach. #whatdepressionfeelslike

— jade liang (@j_liang) January 13, 2017

11.

Having to take a sick day because you just don’t have the ability to get out of your bed. #whatdepressionfeelslike

— Theresa Saylor (@theresasaylor) January 10, 2017

12.

#whatdepressionfeelslike U cry sometimes but you don’t know why. There seems to be no problem but it feels like everything is ur problem

— Meg (@megceline) September 26, 2016

13. 

Lost..in the woods. .at midnight with no flashlight. ..no moon, no stars
you can’t see your way#whatdepressionfeelslike

— tony sparrano (@lazzarolupo) June 22, 2016

14.

#whatdepressionfeelslike being around tons of people, yet feeling utterly alone

— Melody Sarah Rix (@melosophical) December 15, 2015

15.

The silent shatter of a thousand mirrors #WhatDepressionFeelsLike

— Shuchi Singh Kalra (@shuchikalra) November 23, 2015

16.

It’s like trying to swim to the surface from the bottom of a murky pool but never reaching it. #WhatDepressionFeelsLike#Exhausting

— Anna Barba (@ANNAFUCKINBARBA) September 10, 2014

17.

Having depression is all your emotions taken away from you–apart from negative ones like sadness, anxiety/fear #whatdepressionfeelslike

— The Blurt Foundation (@BlurtAlerts) July 25, 2014

18.

I feel like I should shower and wash my hair but it’s so much effort #ThisIsWhatDepressionFeelsLike

— Meghan Shultz (@alwaysunstable) March 7, 2017

19.

You’ve fallen down in an hourglass. The only way up, they say. The ones on the side without sand. #ThisIsWhatDepressionFeelsLike

— Calle Eklund (@vivocalle) March 9, 2017

20.

No energy to care about how tired you are or that you can’t remember when you last ate anything… #ThisIsWhatDepressionFeelsLike

— Trialia (@trialia) February 26, 2017

21.

Treading water after running 5 miles in the middle of the night, wearing an overcoat that weighs 100 pounds. #thisiswhatdepressionfeelslike

— Steve Austin (@iamsteveaustin) February 25, 2017

22.

#ThisIsWhatDepressionFeelsLike Seeing life through grey-colored glasses.

— Nic Campbell (@soupernic) February 25, 2017

23.

Like nothing matters and nothing you do will be the right thing. #ThisIsWhatdepressionfeelslike

— Mellie.lia (@mellie_lia) February 25, 2017

Of course, not everyone experiences depression in the same way. If none of these resonated with you, how would you describe what depression feels like? Let us know in the comments below.