From time to time, everyone feels a little down in the dumps.
It's not unusual to feel blue when times get tough, but for most people it's a passing feeling.
For some people, though, that feeling seems to never go away. What these people may be experiencing is depression.
Depression, which affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, manifests itself both emotionally and physically.
It causes a variety of different symptoms, from fatigue and exhaustion, to concentration troubles, to reckless behavior and irritability.
One young woman, Rachel, was struggling after being diagnosed with clinical depression.
She didn't know how to proceed, but her sister stepped in to offer guidance and support when she needed it most.
Rachel's sister packed a bunch of goodies into a pink box, which she called the "box of love."
Find out more below about the "box of love" and how it helped Rachel deal with her depression.
[H/T: Imgur]
Rachel wrote:
A few years ago I was diagnosed with severe clinical depression.
I didn't know why I was so depressed but it took me to a dark place that I didn't know existed.
I started cutting, stopped talking and interacting with people, and lost my will to live.
In that dark place I reached out to my sister and asked for guidance.
She told me to seek professional help and gave me this: A bright box.
On top of this box was this poem she wrote for me.
Inside she put dozens of envelopes and small gifts all titled something like, “Open when you are in too much pain to get out of bed” or “Open if you can’t remember how awesome you are.”
This envelope was titled “Open when you need to feel loved.”
My niece and nephew are the loves of my life, so this one especially helped.
This one, “Open if you need a dose of happy.” A drawing from my niece.
I did get medical treatment and now feel like a new person but on my darkest days, the time and effort my sister put into the box made my world a little bit brighter.
I think she deserves some recognition for being such an incredible person.
Thank you for reading my story and to those of you who are still struggling with depression, it might seem like there is no light at the end of the tunnel but I promise you there are reasons to make up another day.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Don’t be afraid to talk to people who love you. It gets better. <3
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