I believe in the power of the support of friends. I believe this because friendship helped me with my depression. Growing up with a mental illness like that doesn't really affect you ‘till you hit a certain age and realize what being unhappy feels like. Although you have friends and family, and everything you need, there is a void that cannot be filled.

The very first time I realized I had depression was when I was in the 7th grade and I felt sad for no reason. I remember hating every aspect of myself and not knowing why. I wasn't ungrateful, but simply unhappy. I remember not wanting to be here, and not wanting to go anywhere. When I told my parents about it, I remember them smiling at me with disbelief and dismissing me after saying I would get through any struggles with the help of God and it was just me being overwhelmed with school.

I wanted to tell them that it was a lot more than that. It was like drowning deep into a pit of nothing, and all I can remember was feeling disappointed for not being happy. I remember feeling like I was not enough because of the way people reacted to my illness. I lost a lot of friends the year I found out about my depression. It could've been because they were too scared to have someone with this difference among them. It also could've been because they felt like having a friend like that could ruin their social reputation which hurt me the most, but I will never actually know because I could never bring myself to ask them. Even though some friends did leave, a couple of them did stay, and till this day, they have not questioned me about it, nor have they made me feel any less because of it.
      

I believe in the power of friendship because that's what you need when going through things like this. When you're doing this alone, it's like battling with someone much bigger than you. There’s a little voice always telling you that you can't do certain things because of the depression. With friends, you can do anything because they always have your back. Although it doesn't seem like it, they do, and whatever you need, they'll provide.  You need someone to be there and tell you to take a breath and show you how beautiful life can be. You need someone to be there to dry the tears you have at 3:00 a.m due to your feelings of not being worth it. You need someone to make you feel loved.

The feeling of loneliness is by far the worst, because even though you're surrounded by people, you know that when you get back home, they won't be there. At least you think they won't. Opening up to my friends has been one of the best things I have done.  I can now text and explain to them what is going on without having them judge me. They can help me instead of pointing a finger and laughing at me. I believe in this because, although depression is a hard thing to battle with, anyone can get through it with the help of friends. This I believe.