"The colors are coming back" - Sasha

At the age of 15 I was diagnosed with Depression. Everything that I once found enjoyable became miserable and the world seemed black and white. I was always sad I didn't want to do anything I once had. Even getting up and going to school in the morning was a challenge. I couldn't feel anything anymore, it was like living in a cloud watching over myself.

Depression extended into my relationships, my work, my home life, and my education. I stopped trying in school, stopped playing sports, and I became cold and lonely. My parents kept asking me what was wrong but I could never find the words to express it.

The concern for my mental health grew with my parents until one day I walked into school and the counselor came up to me and said "Can we talk?" That was when things started to change.

We set up weekly meetings for me to talk to the counselor. She had me write down how I felt, how others made me feel, etc. I thought it was helpful at first to focus my mind on something else. Then it stopped being helpful, I dreaded going into that room to talk to her.

it was like living in a cloud watching over myself

We went to see my doctor and she prescribed me medication to help get my feelings back, and recommended another therapist to try. I started going to both every week. In one we wrote and talked in the other we did art. I started to see changes in my mood. I could enjoy little things like I had been able to before. I was starting to get better.

My relationships became better, there was more understanding and love between me and other people. I was able to concentrate on my schoolwork and prioritize my education again. Overall things became enjoyable again for me.

For anyone struggling with depression I offer the advice of: Take care of your mental health. If you don't you can lose yourself to the darkness. Because of the love and support of my family and friends I was able to pull myself back up from the bottom and get back on track. It will never truly go back to the way it was, but I am feeling better, and I will keep working to feel better. 11/24/2025