Have you been hurting for a long time and now just want the pain to stop?
Maybe you haven’t found a way to escape that pain yet, and I want to emphasize the ‘yet’ because there is something we can do about this. Yes, you read that right- we can heal from whatever you’ve been feeling.
Maybe you’ve gone through some really difficult things, and if so, it’s understandable why you’re suffering. You don’t have to pretend to be okay, but you also don’t have to stay in this place forever.
So, let me share what might be keeping you stuck.
Depression Is a Liar.
Depression distorts your perception of reality. It makes you believe things that feel real but aren’t true. Here are five of the biggest lies depression tells and the truth behind them.
The First Lie: “You’re never going to be happy again. Nothing will ever get better.”
Depression makes it seem like the pain is going to last forever, like you’re stuck in a tunnel with no exit. When you feel you’re depressed, you start to believe there’s no point in trying to heal from the situation. It feels like moving again and again inside the unhappy loop.
The Truth:
⭐ Feelings change. Life shifts. Even if you’ve felt this way for a long time, it doesn’t mean you always will. The fact that you’re here means there’s a possibility for things to change.
⭐ Research shows that when your brain is depressed, it has a hard time imagining options, alternatives and positive outcomes. It’s like tunnel vision where you can’t think your way out of it. Depression blinds you to some really good options that exist around you.
⭐ Let’s take one tiny step:
🍀 There are probably treatment options you don’t even know about. If you’re desperate, reach out to a hospital now.
🍀 Treatments like ECT, TMS and ketamine can help rapidly improve depression within hours or weeks (40-70% remission rate).
🍀 Light therapy is another inexpensive, effective option. 60-70% of people who use it for 15 minutes in the morning feel better and show signs of improvement in their mood quality.
🍀 These treatments can be a gateway to therapy that create lasting positive change.
⭐ You don’t have to believe things will get better yet. I’ll hold onto that hope for you until you can see it for yourself. But please trust me on the fact that it can get better. Take action before you feel like it. Don’t wait for motivation first.
⭐ I’ve seen people come back from immense pain and the most serious conditions, even when they were sure they never would. You are not alone. There is hope. Always!
The Second Lie: “You’re a burden.”
Depression makes you feel like you’re too much for others to handle, that you’re exhausting or inconvenient. That the people around you will never understand the mental stress you’re going through.
The Truth:
⭐ Your loved ones want you here. You matter to them, even if your mind tells you otherwise. People don’t love you for what you do; they love you for who you are.
⭐ You have no idea how many people would be affected if you were gone. Even strangers would feel your loss. The world is better with you in it.
⭐ Your brain is lying when it says you’re a burden. You are not a burden.
The Third Lie: “You don’t deserve help.”
Depression distorts reality. It tells you that your problems aren’t bad enough, that you should handle them alone, or that you should be ashamed for having feelings and for being a cry baby in tough situations.
The Truth:
⭐ You deserve support simply because you’re human. You don’t have to wait until you hit rock bottom to ask for help. People want to support you.
⭐ A good therapist can help you break free from shame. You are not a bad person, you are going through a hard time. Your graph can only rise after hitting the lowest point.
The Fourth Lie: “You’re weak for feeling this way.”
Depression makes you believe that struggling means you’re failing, that you should just snap out of it, and if you can’t, there must be something wrong with you.
The Truth:
⭐ You are not broken. You are hurting. Strength is not pretending you’re okay, it’s being honest about your struggles and choosing to keep going.
⭐ Some of the strongest people in history have battled depression and made a huge impact in the world. You are not weak. You just haven’t been taught how to handle these feelings yet. You have enough time to heal and rise again- stronger and better than before.
The Fifth Lie: “No one cares about you.”
Depression convinces you that you are worthless, that no one loves you or wants you, that people wouldn’t notice if you were gone. That the world will lose just another soul and life will easily move on without your presence.
The Truth:
⭐ Depression blinds you to the love around you. People around you are constantly sending you love, you just can’t feel it right now. The fact that you feel alone does not mean that you are alone. It’s a lie. You are deeply loved and truly deserve care from others. Your presence adds great value to those around you.
⭐ Even when you feel lost in the dark, there’s still a path forward. You don’t have to walk it alone.
⭐ Please reach out to someone you trust. You don’t have to carry this all by yourself.
Think about how you’d feel if someone you love was struggling but stayed silent. Don’t do the same- reach out and talk.
⭐ Sometimes, communication is the key to feeling lighter from within.
Depression Is a Liar. Please Don’t Believe It.
When it feels almost impossible to get yourself out of a deep, dark hole alone, allow someone else to throw you a ladder, or at least a flashlight. Talk with someone.
☑️ Call or text a crisis hotline.
☑️ Reach out to a therapist
☑️ Join an online support group.
☑️ Contact me! (Yes, I’m here to help- my email is always available to you.)
☑️ Talk to your family and friends – they will not judge you.
Tiny Steps That Might Help
✅ Move your body– exercise, stretch, dance, go for a short walk, or sit outside for a few minutes. It’s a somatic outlet that allows you to release anxiety.
✅ Take a shower or wash your face. It helps in breaking the neural pattern of depression.
✅ See a funny video– laugh it out!
✅ Journal your thoughts, without judgment. It will give you an idea of your personal thinking pattern.
✅ Listen to music (start with something that matches your mood, then switch to something uplifting).
✅ Get some sleep without coffee and alcohol (coffee is a stimulant and alcohol is a depressant that disrupts your healing sleep).
✅ Hug someone or pet an animal.
✅ Take deep, calming breaths. It instantly shifts you from panic to a parasympathetic (relaxed) state.
✅ Listen to a self-compassion meditation.
✅ Clean or organize one small area in your home.
✅ Be creative– paint, play music, sing, write (it doesn’t have to be good- just enjoy doing it).
📌 Remember: Motivation comes after action, not before. Your brain releases dopamine after you take action, not before. Even the smallest step matters. It really does.
When you consistently take action day after day, you start replacing your old depressive neural pathways with more energetic, happy ones. Of course, it takes practice and consistency, but it’s all worth it, and you are fully capable of doing it.
Depression is a liar, please don’t believe it.
You can rise above it, on your own.
If you need help, there are many people ready to support you, including me. You are not alone.
A bright, happy future awaits you, one that you truly deserve and are closer to living than you think.
