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>> I'm Maggie. I'm 16 and I will be a junior in high school next year.
[Clear Command]
I remember my whole life dealing with depression.
It became something I was used to, almost kind of like a comfort zone because I'd always felt that way.
And for a while in elementary school...I don't really remember realizing there was something wrong.
I assumed that everyone just felt that way, like wanting to die and hating yourself.
And then in middle school when things became more severe and it came to the point of hospitalization,
that's when I realized there was something wrong.
[Clear Command]
My freshman year in high school was the year where my depression really reached the highest point,
and that's when all the thoughts of suicide really came in.
I wasn't eager to change at first when my parents first proposed the idea of going to treatment,
but I guess there was a point when I realized - I would look at other girls
that were in treatment who had struggled with the same thing as me
and had been like I did; feel this way at one point.
And I realized like that I could change, that it was possible.
And I realized that if I wanted to change I could start to live differently,
and not only to solve my depression but to be a better daughter,
a better friend, a better sister, just to improve myself.
I always felt like I was looked down upon first in struggling with depression or what people knew,
so I felt like I couldn't really tell people what was going on or share some of the things I'd struggled with.
I think it's easy to assume like no one's out there for me; I'm all alone.
And when you finally really reach out to people and let people be there for you,
you're not as alone as you think.
My therapist thought it would be a good idea to do a home visit so he could kind of like
look into my house and see things more through my eyes, like with our family.
The thing that stood out the most was the white ribbon assignment
which we had tied white ribbons around places where there had been like a traumatic incident,
or I associated it with some of the things I used to struggle with,
and I would leave a piece of paper with it.
I would write something about my experience.
And it really just helped me feel more at peace with my past,
and it was just like a really empowering experience to know that I can rise above the situations.
[Clear Command]
I honestly didn't ever think that I was going to get better.
Even my parents...I think that they'd kind of given up on me to an extent.
I think most people were just kind of accepting my low functioning for the way it was.
And not only did I not see myself getting better;
I didn't want to get better.
But all it took was that decision to really start working.
Some people might battle depression forever, but it doesn't mean you can't live a mostly happy life.
If you are depressed or thinking about suicide or know someone who is,
know that help is available and help works.
Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline,
1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255.
[Clear Command]
[Clear Command]