I live every day with depression.

It’s not easy. I wake up in the morning not wanting to get up, but I force myself to do it anyway.

I was told this was how it was done. I was told no one wants to wake up, that we’re all depressed, but we deal with it anyway.

I’ve lived every day with depression since I was very young. I remember I wrote my first suicide note when I was nine years old and had thoughts about self-harming, though I didn’t go through with self-harming until I was twelve years old.

I continue to live every day with depression, without medication, just hoping that I can get through the day without any issues.

I have my good days and my bad days, but it’s never certain as to which day will be which. I could be excited about going somewhere one day but wish I had never tried the next.

Even with depression, I’ve managed to graduate high school with honors, earn a full scholarship to college, and make the Dean’s list my first semester of college.

I’m not going to let depression hold me back.