People Who’ve Experienced Depression Are Sharing The Things That Actually Give Them The Will To Live, And I Have Tears In My Eyes
We all have either experienced or know someone battling depression, and it's one of the most challenging topics to discuss. On the always topical r/AskReddit subreddit, a user asked depressed people to share what keeps them going in life. Here are some of the honest answers about how they keep on keepin' on:
1."I realized it wasn't that I didn't want to live; I wanted the pain to stop and to find joy in life. I hope you find your reason to keep going."
2."Knowing that the only constant is change. Good and bad times will ebb and flow. Just have to take care of yourself in the meantime and wait it out."
3."I wrote this poem yesterday: 'Shit's unstable. Towers fall. Life ain't what you thought at all. Everything's a great big mess. Chaos gremlins building nests. Take a page from every book, wrap yourself in hoarded order...to hell with that. Embrace disorder. Life is simple. Towers fall. Growth and change; a Siren's Call.'"
4."Major depressive diagnosed here. I give myself things to do, so whenever actual suicidality or passive suicidality becomes a thing, I can counter with, 'Yeah, but I have stuff to do.' This has worked more or less since I (32) was 19. You can pretty much always find something to do."
5."My cats. I always think no one will feed them if I'm gone."
6."I started practicing gratitude, even though it’s hard AF to do that when you’re depressed. I forced myself to write down one thing I’m grateful for daily (I bought a pink gratitude journal, which really helped), and I also started drinking more water and going on walks, even if it’s just for 10 minutes."
7."My Mom. Seriously."
8."Not wanting to hurt my siblings and giving things time to heal."
9."Antidepressants are a miracle. For a long time, I tried all the above suggestions with no results. Every day, I fought the urge to jump off my balcony. Zoloft works."
10."Not wanting to hurt my father."
11."Spring, fresh air, sunshine, and birds."
12."Spite. The thought process is simple: if my enemies outlive me, they win."
13."A 'me' era. Get a good therapist, join a gym, spend time doing things you used to love, listen to music you listened to when you were happy...You may not feel better immediately but keep at it. Neurons are tough cookies and will eventually fall back into a healthy pattern."
14."As silly as this is, I remember a few things. 1) my elementary students need me. They need their teacher who loves them. 2) My husband and our pets need me too. 3) It always passes and gets better. Plus, it helps that we always have a short vacation, which I can look forward to once we go on summer break."
15."We are worthy and deserving of happiness and peace too, so I will keep fighting for it."
16."Sunlight, good sleep, a multivitamin, and regular exercise will fix a good chunk of causes for depression. Not all of them, but you might as well try and see if you haven't yet."
17."My mom literally dragged me out of bed when I was bed rotting in 2021, helped me clean my room, and took me for a ride. We had a long talk, and she helped me turn my life around."
18."My dog. She makes sure I have to get up every morning to take her for a walk. I have to be here for her to make sure she can go out. I have to keep myself out of trouble because I’m all she’s got and she’s all I’ve got."
19."Trust that time will do it's work."
20."It’s all about cracking the code. Knowing that on the days you met adversity and knew it was your worst day. Maybe even say, 'This is the worst day of my life,' and then take note of how you got through it and overcame it. You must also realize that you’re 100% in overcoming that adversity. The time you lose is when you die. So maybe this helps someone, or maybe I’m just typing on my phone to no one. But life gets better, and sometimes you have to struggle or change. Keep fighting the good fight."
21."I'm 37 and have had issues with depression my whole life, and my answer (and I don't recommend it as a solution for other people) is being around/providing for kids. It gives me a purpose and fulfillment I've never gotten anywhere else. I've had three godkids since I was 17, and the youngest was just born. They saved my life in the most literal sense. My daughter is 21 now, and recently I had my first biological kid. Now my son is 5, and I'd never give up with any of them in my life."
22."My AA program. God. Knowing how my family would suffer if I were to leave suddenly. Knowing that this will pass."
23."I've dealt a lot with this. I am very familiar with the darkness inside of myself. I've been ideating since I was about 7. What keeps me here is what I would do to my family if I committed the ultimate act. Additionally, I want to create as much light in the lives of others as I possibly can. I want to help others to never feel like I have. There's good to do in this world, and I've dedicated my life to that objective. I still get sad and overwhelmed, but what keeps me here is the overwhelming need to help others."
What has helped you deal with depression? Comment below, and remember to be good to one another!
Dial 988 in the United States to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The 988 Lifeline is available 24/7/365. Your conversations are free and confidential. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org. The Trevor Project, which provides help and suicide-prevention resources for LGBTQ youth, is 1-866-488-7386.
