September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and throughout the last few weeks, Instagram has become flooded with empowering survival stories, raising social awareness on the illness. A new hashtag, #faceofdepression, is adding an essential layer of depth to the public conversation about hidden depression symptoms, and it's one we just can't ignore.
What do depressed people look like? What does someone with suicidal thoughts appear? What does depression feels like? Of course, many of us would probably picture a crumpled-up, crying shell of a person on a bathroom floor. However, the reality that #faceofdepression is trying to explain is that people who are struggling with feeling depressed often hide it in their everyday lives - meaning that they look like just about any other person you'd pass on the street.
One of the most touching contributions to the campaign was a video shared by Talinda Bentley, widow of Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington, showing him laughing and smiling just 36 hours before his tragic suicide. Don't take everything at 'face' value. If you think or know someone is showing the signs of depression, ask the hard questions before it's too late.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 if you or someone you know needs urgent treatment of depression. Call 1-800-273-8255 or go to their official website to live chat with a counselor.
#3
You can't tell can you? You can't tell by the look in my eyes or the sound of my voice even. You're thinking "You're smiling though!"
Yes. Yes, I am smiling. I smiled for you. I smiled so I don't make you feel bad. I don't want you to feel like I do. I also don't want you to feel like there is something you can do to make me "feel better".
There isn't anything anyone can do. I have to work through it on my own. The worst part is that this bout snuck up on me. I recognize the familiarity of it all though.
Empty
Lonely
Heavy
Tired
So tired
Everything is loud
Everything is annoying
I have no patience
I want to be left alone
I want to stay in bed
I don't want to work out
I want to eat everything without cooking anything
Lonely
Heavy
Tired
So tired
Everything is loud
Everything is annoying
I have no patience
I want to be left alone
I want to stay in bed
I don't want to work out
I want to eat everything without cooking anything
The best part is that I haven't felt like this in a very long time AND that I recognize it for what is. I'm the one who bakes and does crafts. You see that on the outside but you don't see the darkness inside.
For those that are also suffering....PLEASE SEEK HELP. Treatment is different for each person. Do what is best for you. I'm doing what works for me while I get back to Monique. So for now - I smile, and let people know I'm struggling.
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252points
#4
My daughter as well. The night before she ended up in the hospital they went to the daddy daughter dance and had an amazing time. Thankfully she's still alive today and learning to beat her illness. She was 8 at the time
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230points
#6
This is my son , right before going to his computer to look up how to properly hang himself. Two days later he followed through.
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198points
#8
This is depression in our home. I tried to hang myself in my attic when the board broke and I broke thru the ceiling alerting my family. I fight every day. My husband tries his best but can't break through. I don't understand it. I don't know why I can't get rid of it. I have a wonderful family. I feel selfish, lost, sick and angry at myself. My brain has always been a little scrambled and I've fought just to make it thru school, I can't keep a job. I can't stay in task long enough or I take too long. I leave before I get fired. It's hard to feel worthless and I hate feeling like a burden to my family. I have so much pain inside. I'm in therapy I have meds. All I know is even though I feel like suicide would make life easier for my family, I also feel like if I could just get my head fixed and could be someone worthy, I really would like to stay around. I have been trying for so long I don't know if it's gonna happen for me. Today I am here. We will see how tomorrow goes tomorrow. I take it day for day and some times hour by hour. Sometimes i think If I can get through one more hour I'll go to bed and I'll sleep til tomorrow and see how it goes. Today has been ok. I'm trying to find something good today to give hope for tomorrow. Today I try.
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181points
#9
My #faceofdepression and yes it is possible to be depressed with a child.
Hearing, "You don't have a reason to be depressed with her around" doesn't do shit but make me feel worse about myself
Being told, "All you need is exercise and a good diet" just makes me want to throat punch you even though you're coming from a good place
Depression keeps you from doing things you want to do because it's literally a chemical imbalance in your brain.
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177points
#10
This is my boyfriend two weeks before hanging himself. Will never understand it...
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171points
#11
This is what depression looked like not long before we lost our beloved Luke. Depression is a SERIOUS illness. Don't dismiss people who are hurting.
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105points
#14
Bipolar disorder here,(with a heavy emphasis on the depression side)...I get up, put on a full face of makeup, wear a fun dress, all while struggling with depression, anxiety and sometimes suicidal thoughts..
93points
#15
Currently at the doctor seeking help, most have no idea what I'm going through and that I cry in the shower or in the car on my way home from work or can't sleep at night because of panic attacks
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92points
#19
Major Depression & PPD here. 3 weeks pp with #2 & going to the doctor is helping. Most times I feel like I'm drowning but last couple of days it's been easier. Sometimes just talking about it can be cathartic. PLEASE seek help if you need it. It's not failure. Sometimes you just need a little more time to get your shit together and that's ok, because being a functional parent is hard fucking work.
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66points
