To Whoever You Are.

To Whoever You Are

     I am here for you. You are not alone. You matter. You are important to me.

     Depression and anxiety are real, you are not going crazy.  Although, it seems the world keeps changing all around us, there is hope. We were not put on this earth to see through one another, but to see each other through life despite our differences. Sometimes it isn't perfect or like the picture we have in our head. That is okay.
     There is a lot about each other that we don’t know. There is history we have not shared, memories we have not made together. We might even be in different time zones. Our pain is never congruent, but we have probably felt the same emotions. I know this pain of uncertainty. The ‘why me’ you ask yourself, as tears fill in your eyes. I might not know you and your story, and it might not be identical to mine, but I know how it feels.
     It is the feeling of loneliness. It is putting on a smile when you are out of the house. It is wanting to hide under the covers because the thought of getting out of bed is simply overwhelming. It is feeling isolated, even though you have people who support you. It is the weight of the lump in your throat choking back tears, because you want to cry for reasons you might not even know. It is not knowing how to articulate what is going on inside. It feels like the world is a sea of sadness and you have forgotten how to swim. Happiness is like a friend you used to know and the thought of it sends you deeper into the ocean. Sometimes you want to tell people why you feel sad or overwhelmed, but you really don't understand it either. You wish that simple tasks didn't drain you of all energy. It agitates you and gets you frustrated. If you could stop it you would but its not in your control.
     I promise it gets better. You find things that help you collect victories in your battle. Maybe it is a new hobby, or rediscovering and old one that had been forgotten. You remember how to laugh, and find beauty in small things. Sometimes comfort comes in books, or stories that you read. It could be taking a walk or drinking a cup of coffee. It doesn’t have to be big to be significant.
You might be searching for the person that you thought you were. Stop. That person isn’t there anymore. You have been at war and now you are stronger than you know and brave for even trying to fight. It takes courage to figure out and find ways to overcome depression and anxiety. Everyday you should be proud of yourself for trying, even if it isn’t a great day.
     So, when the sky gets dark and grey, remember that everything gets rained on a little, and when the sun comes out after a storm things don’t seem so bad. You can survive this. I will still be here after the rain and so will you. I will do my best to understand and when I cannot understand what you are feeling I will offer my compassion.

Sincerely,
A Friend