Depression: feelings of severe despondency or dejection.

It's a common enough word, right? We hear it all the time from clinical depression to bipolar depression to just regular depression. I want to tell you something: you don't need a diagnosis to have depression because everyone suffers from it. Some are able to repress it for a while, but in a person's lifetime, having a bout with depression is more likely than not. I happen to suffer from severe depression and was even on medication for a while. All we need is that we have an open mind and try your best to utilize these "tools." Depression is powerful and can be so great that it will engulf you if you aren't proactive and try to combat it.

Stop Projecting Your Feelings Onto Others

Sometimes when we feel depressed, we project these feelings and assume everyone is against us. For example, if we're having a bad day and feel dejected, we may automatically assume no one wants to help us. I know personally, I've had thoughts like "I don't want to bother him/her with my problems" or "They probably don't want to help me anyway." The problem is that's myperception of how others around me are feeling. Did I receive a verbal affirmation that they were annoyed with me? No! But because my mood was depressed, I let it affect my perception of how my loved ones feel towards me. Remember to always check back in with reality. We cannot read minds. I promise you will feel less depressed if you scale back on projecting your feelings because our loved ones want to help us.

Be Proud Of Every Little Thing You Do

Did you ever just take a moment to marvel at how blessed you are? Just being able to pick up a fork and eat is a blessing. Or walking and talking. Even waking up in the morning and being able to see the beautiful world around us is a blessing! I used to take all of this for granted, but as I look at my fingers now, while I type these very words, I realized how blessed I am. Some people do not have these opportunities. And no, I'm not going to hit you with the "there are children starving in Africa" phrase, because I get it, sometimes there doesn't need to be an explanation for our struggles. But I will say, don't be so hard on yourself because every little thing you do each day is an accomplishment. Some days you may do more, some less. That's okay! As long as you are working according to your pace, you are making progress! Always remember that!

Focus On YOUR Unique Contribution To This World, NOT Others

Stop with the comparing. Stop wishing you looked like "that model" or "that actress." Stop wanting a life that was not meant for you. I mean this in the most non-harsh way possible. We know money doesn't buy happiness. We know exterior beauty does, indeed, fade. We know material things can disappear at any time. We know all of this and yet...depression still creeps in. Why? I think it is because many people are too enamored with a life that was not meant to be theirs. Social media makes it SO easy to envy others' lives, beauty, fame, and fortune. Can you do a favor for me? When was the last time the person you admire posted pictures at a funeral? Or...at a hospital? Crying after a bad breakup? The point I'm getting at is 98% of the posts out there are all amazing. Someone skydiving off a plane, hiking through the exotic forests in Africa, selfies with filters, delicious meals, and the list goes on and on and on. It's great that people tend to post the positive elements in their life, but sometimes it's just not realistic. It causes people like you and me to think everyone else has this "perfect" life while we just sit here stewing in our depression. Please remember that what you see is usually not reality. Focus on yourself instead and the talents YOU have, rather than wanting another person's life.

Focus On The People Who Genuinely Love You And Not On The People Who Aren't There For You

People...can't live with them, can't live without them! In my opinion, the number one cause of depression is the people in our lives. Whether it's worrying about a loved one, partner, or friend, it's easy to succumb to depression if we think about these people too much. This can easily be narrowed down and I'll give you an example. About a year ago I attempted to commit suicide. A lot of things in my life were going from bad to worse, my depression was heightening, and I was still trying to process the aftermath of my "breakup." When I was in this situation, guess who stayed with me the whole time? My family. And you know what? The guy I thought I loved and I thought cared about me was nowhere to be found.This is essentially my point: we get depressed because we're always wanting a little more. At first, I wished this guy would have been there comforting me, but I quickly realized that all I needed was my family. If you are struggling with similar wants, remember that there is a difference between people who will always be there for you and just the ghost of a person who doesn't care to be involved in your life.

Do Not Be In Denial and/or Repress Your Depression!

This point is synonymous with the previous one. Repression always leads to depression. Whether it's pride, shame, or confusion, we have all repressed our emotions at least once. It's seemingly easier because the hurtful thought/memory is buried in your psyche for a while and seems to have vanished. But sometimes our minds work without us. These bad memories can and will resurface–it's only a matter of time! Once they do, it's usually catastrophic because you are reliving a bad experience you were sure you rid of forever. I understand you may be scared or hurting and want to repress the memories that make you feel depressed But in order for depression to be taken care of in the long-term, you must address these issues sooner rather than later. It sounds scary, trust me, I know. I absolutely dread unearthing my bad memories in therapy or even to my family. But now I am somewhat free of the burdens these memories carried because I have acknowledged them and can now move forward.

I sincerely hope this helps anyone who is suffering from depression. I am not a psychologist or a psychiatrist so these tips will certainly not vanquish your depression forever. In addition to reading uplifting articles like this, I would encourage any of you suffering from depression to be proactive and seek assistance from a professional. Depression can lead to so many long-term issues and both mental and physical health problems. Do not let it win