Depression Logan Sauer Ms. Long 10/14/15 As defined in the 2015 Oxford Dictionary, depression is “A mental condition characterized by feelings of severe despondency and dejection, typically also with feelings of inadequacy and guilt, often accompanied by lack of energy and disturbance of appetite and sleep”. That definition only covers what it is, but not what it feels like. My personal definition just happens to be different, well actually, my definition is incorporated through a simile. Depression is like a shadow that smothers you whole and you can’t get away. Depression doesn’t just affect your surroundings, it affects your self worth and your confidence. Many people would agree that depression is pointless, but i strongly disagree. Yes, there are people who are looking for attention but a big chunk of us don’t want any attention. In 2013, suicide was the 10th leading cause of american death’s. Statistics show that 90 percent of people who engage in self harm begin during their teen or pre-adolescent years. 60% of those people are girls. Studies prove that girls self harm more. If you dive into that statement you’ll find a strong sexist bias. In our society boys are thought of as “the tough ones”, or “the support”. Boys have issues showing their uncomfortable emotions because they fear not meeting society's standards. There are multiple treatments for depression. Some involve medications, while others involve therapy where they focus on healing. Some of those medications include: Sertraline(zoloft), fluoxetine(prozac), trazodone(oleptro), etc. Personally I find that therapy is more helpful. I am part of a therapy group in my high school and I am benefiting from it a lot. They focus on how to cope with your uncomfortable emotions and they are a support system. There shouldn’t be a category for depressed people. We are all alike. When it comes down to it, we are all skin, blood, and bones. We aren’t really that different. We all experience different emotions. Along with that, there is no such thing as a bad emotion, according to my therapist Sean. There may be “uncomfortable” emotions, but none fall into good or bad. To those struggling who judge themselves for their feeling, don’t. You are not wrong for feeling whatever way you do. Just remember, you control your emotions, don’t let them control you. To sum it all up, depression cannot be defined as right nor wrong. There is no right answer to what it is. It is horrid, yet the people who get over it turn out to be strong beautiful people. If you or anyone else is struggling from depression, ask for help because. Keeping it all inside and to yourself can harm you in the end. You could blow and it won’t be very pretty. I have a quote to remind me that it is possible to overcome depression. “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”~Helen Keller. With these important words, I rest my case(I end my essay). Works Cited: "Self Injury, Self Harm Statistics and Facts - HealthyPlace." HealthyPlace. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. "Depression Medications List." Healthline. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. "15+ Quotes to Beat Depression." The Daily Mind. N.p., 02 July 2014. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. "Depression Symptoms and Warning Signs." Depression Symptoms & Warning Signs: How to Recognize Depression Symptoms and Get Effective Help. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.