Member-only story
For most of my life, I’ve considered myself a mentally stable person. Even when I felt sad, these feelings would not linger for long, and they definitely didn’t prevent me from getting out of bed.
COVID-19 tested my mental resilience. I began to have mental breakdowns after months of living at home with my parents, which stemmed from feeling isolated and alone.
My mental resilience was tested over and over again while living with the people who largely created my insecurities. It became difficult to get out of bed or to do anything other than aimlessly scroll on my phone.
While I will still occasionally struggle with depressive episodes, they have gotten much milder. I consider myself very fortunate to be where I am today emotionally and mentally.
For anybody struggling with depression, you’re not alone.
A common thought that I used to have when I was going through a depressive episode was: “Nothing is really even wrong. Why am I so sad? Why am I crying?”
Essentially, I was gaslighting myself. Don’t criticize yourself for feeling what you are feeling. Your feelings are valid.
