I am not my Illness

     I think that too many people walk through life with a preconceived notion that there is really no such thing as “mental health”. Over the years I've come across so many people who overlook the facts that a condition like depression is not something someone makes up. Depression is a very real and serious condition and when it comes to the impact it has on your health it does differently than diabetes or heart disease. When I was younger I associated depression with the way we saw it in the movies. I believed that it’s only a real problem when you’re sad all the time, you never come out of your room, or you stop communicating with people around you. As I grew older and had my own experiences I realized that it’s different for everyone. For me, it comes in waves but that may not be the case for others. After struggling with depression for well well over a year I've learned to be more open about my everyday struggles. I’ve learned that my “bad” days may be the ones that hurt but they are the ones who taught me that there is hurt around us that cannot be fixed by band-aids and sappy poetry. My bad days taught me to apologize to myself every time I felt like I hated myself. We are at a time in this country where every issue has left us all so deeply divided. There is no better time for all of us to come together and remind ourselves that we are all fighting our own battles.
     My name is Neeharika. I deal with depression every day but I am NOT my illness. 

​Post written by guest writer Neeharika Chenna