One out of every five teenagers experiences depression before reaching adulthood. One out of every five teenagers suffers from unbearable sadness, from a lack of interest and motivation, from a loss of energy. One out of every five teenagers feels helpless, hopeless, worthless. Unfortunately, the majority of these teenagers do not seek treatment. They do not seek help.


I was one of them.


Last year I was diagnosed with clinical depression. Before that, before I finally decided to reach out to someone and get the help I desperately needed, I spent one of the worst years of my life trying, and failing, to deal with it on my own. I was lost in a deep, dark, dreadful hole of pain and misery with no way out. Not knowing who to turn to. Not knowing who to trust. Not knowing if anyone would care. And I was afraid. Horribly afraid. What if I did tell? What would be the next step? Therapy? Medication? It was all a foreign world to me that I wasn’t ready to venture into.

These chains of fear and uncertainty, they hold back many depressed teenagers from getting help. But there is nothing to be afraid of. I know that at first, talking to someone may seem like it’s a scary dream, but trying to deal with depression alone, without any support, is a nightmare. It doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to be alone.

The truth is, people do care. They do want to help. But only you know how you really feel. Only you can take that first step.

Admitting that you are having a hard time doesn’t make you any weaker of a person. If anything it makes you stronger. True strength does not come from hiding your problems; it comes from facing them, and doing whatever is necessary to overcome them.

No one should ever have to be stuck in that hole of depression. You may be one of those teenagers, trying desperately to climb up to the surface. But without someone to guide you and lead you in the right direction, you may be lost down there forever. Tell someone. Tell someone about what you are going through. It could be the best decision you will ever make.

You have so much to lose by hiding in silence. Without treatment, depression can destroy your grades, your friendships, your family, your health. Without treatment, depression can destroy your life. Don’t let that happen.

Think about all you have to gain by getting help. Think about finally lifting the weight of silence off your chest. Think about always having someone supporting you, who you can turn to in times of need or distress. Think about how good it will feel to finally be able to climb out of that hole, to take a breath of fresh air, and to absorb the warm, beautiful sunshine. Think about feeling happy again.