You’re not alone and I have felt this way more times than I can count. The only words of encouragement I can offer is that it won’t last forever, no matter how much it seems that way. Keep waking up each day until you wake up and feel a little better. The tough thing to remember in times like this is that there actually is still joy to experience in the future. Even if you cannot imagine or envision joy, the cycle of life guarantees that you will feel good again at some point. I think that alone is worth hanging on for.

It’s okay to be depressed but at the end of the day, it is up to us to decide how we are going to cope with it. Try to keep talking about it. It is hard to open up about it sometimes but I’ve found once you do, you are reminded that you are not as alone as you feel. Keep working if you can. I know as hard as it can feel to go through the motions at times, you can always find dignity in work. Try to see each day as a new opportunity to find some good, if you look deep enough you will find it. It’s already inside of you. Keep exploring what makes you happy, never doubt your own power and stay determined to live. After all, it is a gift in itself just to be alive.