Another day passes by
and you can't feel the joy
you once did.
You struggle to get out of bed
every morning.
You feel like isolating yourself
from the world.
It's as if a huge cloud of sadness
is following you around.
Globally, it's estimated that
264 million people around the world
are dealing with depression.
Depression is an ugly, powerful thing,
but you can survive it.
You matter.
You are not alone.
The American Psychiatric Association
defines depression as a common,
serious medical illness that
negatively affects how you feel
the way you think,
and how you act.
It's not the same as
having “off” or “down” days.
Depression is different.
To be classified as depression,
your symptoms must last
for at least two weeks.
If you have lost interest in things
you used to enjoy,
or your eating habits have changed,
and you sleep too much or too little,
you could have depression.
''You gotta put your past behind you.
Look kid bad things happen
and you can't do anything about it right?
Right.
Wrong."
Yes, there are things you can do
to feel better.
If you think you might have depression,
go and see your doctor.
Be honest with your doc, and yourself,
about how you feel.
Sharing that something is wrong
is the most important thing
you can do for yourself.
And it's the best way
to start feeling good again.
It’s an incredibly brave thing to do,
and it's worth doing,
because YOU ARE WORTH IT.
You don’t have to do this alone.
"Don't try anything.
I'm gonna kill myself
so don't try to stop me."
"OK."
Find people who care about you,
and who can handle hearing that
you have depression,
and tell them how you feel.
You never know who is going
through the same thing.
Form a support group that
you can trust
to help you find a way
to cope with your depression.
Let them check in on you,
and accept their offers for help.
Remember,
they care about you.
Make a list of the things
that make you happy.
It could be big things
that you are proud of,
like achievements or goals
you have accomplished.
Or, it could be things like
funny videos of animals,
or your favourite show.
List anything positive
that makes you feel good,
even if it's just for a moment.
Your list is worth keeping on hand
so you can see it.
Remember,
the darkness doesn’t last forever.
Nothing lasts forever
and this too shall pass.
You can, and will,
have good times again.
Spend more time outdoors.
Fresh air can really boost your mood.
It works well especially well
on days where you feel trapped,
and things are really rough.
Go out for a walk,
or do any other form of exercise.
It will release hormones
that can change your mood,
and ease your stress.
It only takes a short walk
for those mood boosting hormones
to kick in.
Whatever happens, and no matter
how bad things get,
never give up on yourself.
You are not a failure because
you are feeling this way.
Don’t let sadness blind you
from seeing the light
at the end of the tunnel
or make you believe that
this world will never get better.
There’s always hope.
And if you give them a chance,
there’s always someone who's willing
to help and ready to listen.
''Yesterday is history,
tomorrow is a mystery,
but today is a gift.
That is why it is called present.''
Depression can be overcome,
and you aren’t the only person
going through this.
It can affect anyone,
despite their status or wealth.
Even famous people have depression,
like Kristen Bell,
the star of The Good Place.
''I also struggled a lot
with anxiety and depression."
Chris Evans aka Captain America,
has depression linked to his anxiety.
Even Lady Gaga,
and tough Dwayne Johnson
have depression.
It can happen to anyone.
Depression can be treated,
and there are many treatment options,
including medication
and different kinds of therapy.
It's important to take care of yourself.
It's not your fault,
so there is no reason to suffer in silence.
Once you start feeling better,
you might ask yourself,
what you would you do
if the economy was headed
into a depression?
You can learn to overcome that as well,