Depression 

Something that affects most everyone at some time in their life is depression. I'm not talking about a bad day, because we all have those. Extended periods lasting days, weeks, months, and sometimes years is what I'm focusing on. How does it happen and where do you find the strength to overcome it? Most people turn to medication. That could be good or bad. Speaking from experience, I tried the alternative to natural happiness and ventured down the path of Effexor. It took a while to make a difference, but once it did, I found myself more carefree than I had ever been in my life. What a wonderful drug, I thought to myself. That lasted about 6 months. I then came to the realization that if I wanted to continue feeling like this, I would never be able to quit. That scared me a bit. I wanted to be happy but I wanted to deal with what was making me depressed in the first place and overcome it myself. So I quit. After a week of hardcore withdrawal, I finally felt normal again. The funny thing is, I realized the thing that was making me so unhappy had actually ran its course and I was able to cope on my own. That doesnt happen for everyone.

I think counseling is a wonderful way to help with depression. It helped me. Finding a therapist can be a bit tricky because you need to feel comfortable, but once I did, I spent an hour each week crying to a complete stranger. It felt good. Exercise and hobbies are also a great way to get past the hard times to a place that is easier to deal with. Sadness comes and goes, for the most part. Our job is to find out what is making us miserable and fix it or to mourn the loss of someone or something that is bringing us grief. Its just another part of life and growing as a person. If you think you are alone, your not. Everyone has hard times. Just find your inner strength and persevere. It can be done. Always remember, this too shall pass. And if it doesnt, seek professional help. We only have one shot at life, spending it in misery should never be an option.