Depression: I'm Reaching Out.

Hi. My name's Pratham. (Weird name, I know!) but most people call me Jay. A lot of you know me or have seen me active on the forums, most of you have no clue of who I am. I joined TSR a few years ago and didn't really make much use of it. However, I've come back to an amazing community once more.

I was officially diagnosed with depression when I was 14 years of age. To those who do suffer from depression, I think that's the day we will all remember and often keep a hold of in our memories, even though it's a dark one at that.
I encountered some genuinely hard times during the two years I've been fighting it for. I was in a really bad place. I was having a lot of issues at home e.g. disputes with parents and emotional and physical abuse both at school and outside of school. I was bullied also physically and emotionally. My self esteem was pretty much non-existent but has since improved dramatically to this day. I don't want to go into further detail about my past as it's very personal to me. However, I'm willing to share it with others if they ask me privately and whether or not I trust you! TL;DR, I feel much more positive and I feel that although I can't overcome my depression completely, I can always fight to reduce its negative impacts on my day-to-day life in many ways.

However, I feel that many people are hiding. Hiding because they think that something's wrong with them, that they aren't normal human beings. Maybe they're hiding because they're afraid of what people will say or do if they share what they have and/or are going through. Maybe you're hurting, physically and emotionally through your own doing or someone else's. Maybe you find it hard to even come to school with the thought of being bullied or abused. Maybe it's for a completely different reason.

But the one thing that started my fight was by actually opening myself up to someone and talking to them. I expressed anything and everything that was negatively impacting me relative to depression, and the effects it had on me. I told this person everything and thank God I did otherwise I would still be in that bad place to this day. Honestly, telling someone about what you're going through is the best feeling in the world. You will feel like you have had a massive weight lifted off your shoulders, that you've got it off your chest. By doing this, it's almost a feeling of relief. Having someone there for you is crucial to helping you fight everything. Naturally, you just want to push everyone away because you feel like a burden or a deadweight to them. No. Tell someone and get help before it's too late, I urge you.

I would like to open this thread to everyone, whether you suffer from depression or not. Post questions that you can ask me or anyone else for that matter and I/we will help you out and give you advice or whatever you need to help you. Send me a private message and I'll happily talk to you, whatever motive behind it. Just talk to someone. We're a community of mostly young people who are always willing to help others through hard times. Open up. You won't regret any of it.

How do you feel in social situations now? Could you feel more comfortable talking to a stranger, say?

Most definitely. I was really anxious and self-conscious in the past. Really socially awkward too but now I'm really good at talking to anyone and making good conversation providing they can hold one too!

So curiously and for educational purposes, how would one start a conversation with a stranger without coming across creepy?

Hi. My name's Pratham. (Weird name, I know!) but most people call me Jay. A lot of you know me or have seen me active on the forums, most of you have no clue of who I am. I joined TSR a few years ago and didn't really make much use of it. However, I've come back to an amazing community once more.

I was officially diagnosed with depression when I was 14 years of age. To those who do suffer from depression, I think that's the day we will all remember and often keep a hold of in our memories, even though it's a dark one at that.
I encountered some genuinely hard times during the two years I've been fighting it for. I was in a really bad place. I was having a lot of issues at home e.g. disputes with parents and emotional and physical abuse both at school and outside of school. I was bullied also physically and emotionally. My self esteem was pretty much non-existent but has since improved dramatically to this day. I don't want to go into further detail about my past as it's very personal to me. However, I'm willing to share it with others if they ask me privately and whether or not I trust you! TL;DR, I feel much more positive and I feel that although I can't overcome my depression completely, I can always fight to reduce its negative impacts on my day-to-day life in many ways.

However, I feel that many people are hiding. Hiding because they think that something's wrong with them, that they aren't normal human beings. Maybe they're hiding because they're afraid of what people will say or do if they share what they have and/or are going through. Maybe you're hurting, physically and emotionally through your own doing or someone else's. Maybe you find it hard to even come to school with the thought of being bullied or abused. Maybe it's for a completely different reason.

But the one thing that started my fight was by actually opening myself up to someone and talking to them. I expressed anything and everything that was negatively impacting me relative to depression, and the effects it had on me. I told this person everything and thank God I did otherwise I would still be in that bad place to this day. Honestly, telling someone about what you're going through is the best feeling in the world. You will feel like you have had a massive weight lifted off your shoulders, that you've got it off your chest. By doing this, it's almost a feeling of relief. Having someone there for you is crucial to helping you fight everything. Naturally, you just want to push everyone away because you feel like a burden or a deadweight to them. No. Tell someone and get help before it's too late, I urge you.

I would like to open this thread to everyone, whether you suffer from depression or not. Post questions that you can ask me or anyone else for that matter and I/we will help you out and give you advice or whatever you need to help you. Send me a private message and I'll happily talk to you, whatever motive behind it. Just talk to someone. We're a community of mostly young people who are always willing to help others through hard times. Open up. You won't regret any of it.