Depression can feel like a mountain. But you’re strong enough to climb it.

Depression is such a difficult thing to explain to someone that has never experienced it. It is highly personal and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all explanation for it. While there are physical ailments that can present, it can also be highly behavioral, making it difficult to explain to others which can lead to frustration, shame, and feelings of emptiness.

Depression can manifest in many ways. Maybe you feel like nothing really brings you happiness anymore, even things you once loved to do. Maybe you are sleeping too much or even too little. Maybe you have little motivation to do anything, including taking care of yourself or those around you, leading to feelings of immense guilt and increasing your inner self-critic. Maybe you’ve even thought that life it just too hard and it needs to stop.

Depression doesn’t discriminate. It can develop after a major adjustment, such as a new baby, a move to another area, or death of a loved one. It can also develop after an increase in medications or substance use.

It may feel like it right now, but you are not alone. Therapy can help with these overwhelming feelings.