Dealing with Tough Times!
Hello Everyone!
The lovely @ConnorSmith and I decided to join together and collaborate! 
Do you often feel persistently sad or down for weeks or months?
Feeling down from time-to-time is okay but when emotions such as: despair and hopelessness take control and dont go away, you may develop depression.
Depression is a common mental disorder that causes people to experience a depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy and poor concentration. An estimated 121 million people around the world currently suffer from a form of depression.
The number of people diagnosed with depression increases by approximately 20% each year.
As Neil Lennon once said… Its a bit like walking down a long, dark corridor never knowing when the light will come on.
You are certainly not alone. 
1): When was your last tough time? (For Example:- You failed an exam which increased your depression symptoms, etc.)
2): What sort of thoughts were going through your head? (For example:- Ive messed everything up. My family is disappointed in me.)
3): Can you list any ways in which you release your emotions when you are feeling down?
4): What gives you hope to keep going?
5): Say what you need to hear right now. (For example:- Things will turn out okay.)
If you believe youve been struggling with depression and coping with tough times, you can do these things listed to help yourself out:-
~ Reach out to others (It can be scary but talking about it really helps!)
~ Join in with your community or school activities
~ Spend time with friends and do things you enjoy doing. Surround yourself with supportive people who bring the best out of you!
~ Meditate and keep up with self-care. (www.calm.com)
Helpful Resources:-
Pixel Thoughts (Express yourself!)
~ If you liked this thread, make sure to give it an upvote! Also, we loved taking part in this collaboration. If you would like to take part, PM either of us with your questions! ~
Tagging:-
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*this taglist will NOT be reused*
Wishing you all a lovely weekend!
1): When was your last tough time?
Honestly the last several months have been tough on me because I still haven't received an acceptance into dental school and last week I received an email saying that I was rejected from one dental school that I really liked. The only chance I have is to get a waitlist spot from one school in the next couple of days.
2): What sort of thoughts were going through your head?
Feeling like a total loser and that all of my hard work was for nothing. Also the fact that I have several friends who were accepted to their dream professional schools and the fact that I have to tell people that I haven't been accepted yet has been exhausting. I have come to despise whenever someone asks what I plan on doing after graduation because its still up in the air at this point (I'm applying to masters programs but I'm not sure if I will get in since I'm applying on the late side since I was waiting for my dental school acceptance and had to take another exam). All in all I am a dissappointment to everybody.
3): Can you list any ways in which you release your emotions when you are feeling down?
Just keeping busy and sleeping really.
4): What gives you hope to keep going?
Ummm... that's a good question. For the most part just teaching/tutoring/mentoring my students who look up to me for some stupid reason.
5): Say what you need to hear right now.
That I'm not worthless/useless/stupid/terrible and that whatever rejections that I am going through will not change your opinion about me.
1): When was your last tough time? Ongoing the past few months, feeling unloved, useless, not heard or validated and very lonely. My emotional reaction to feeling this way lead to me loosing my job.
2): What sort of thoughts were going through your head? I feel like there are a million tabs open in my brain, hard to focus.
3): Can you list any ways in which you release your emotions when you are feeling down? Nothing healthy, emotional outbursts leading to another thing to have to deal with.
4): What gives you hope to keep going? Believing there may be help for me out there somewhere.
5): Say what you need to hear right now. my broken pieces can be put back together.
Thank you for creating such a thread! It's so nice to know that someone would actually like to hear from people struggling with depression.
*warning! possible trigger alert*
1) My last tough time was a couple of weeks ago, when I was so low. It was the lowest point in my life. Everything had been building up, so it seems I just broke down. (I have been depressed for many years, I don't know anything else.)
2) I thought I wouldn't cope. I was completely alone, left out, secluded. Hopeless and helpless, unbelievably desperate. I didn't have anyone to turn to. I was on the verge of taking a step towards something irreversible. I sobbed and couldn't stop. I felt like an abused infant, scared to death and longing for help and some kind human being to hug. I waited for the atrocity to end at last.
3) Emotions are different.When I'm angry, I go out or smoke, though I don't actually want to. When I'm furious, I refrain from eating or I smash things. When I'm down, I listen to music, watch funny animals on the Internet or take a walk. When I'm hopeless and helpless, I shake and become afraid of everything at once. I wouldn't call anyone and admit, "hey, I think I'm going to die now". So not everything is manageable for me now...
4) I've been wondering about what keeps me going, but I still have no idea... I think it's just the lack of courage to jump. I've never been happy in my entire life, so I can't see anything.
5) Now, I'd like to hear myself (the real self) saying, "Maybe you are/I'm not that bad. You/I will manage". As for someone else, I'd like my friends to say to me. "I want to support you. You can call me whenever you need it, no matter the time. I understand and I respect the things that have been going on in your life. I don't want you to die. I will help you fight. I recognise you as a valid human being and a part of my life".
Thank you for reading.
1. Probably a week ago when I had to face something from my past affecting my present and future.
2. I was thinking " I'm going to relive my errors and mistakes in life and fail again like I always do."
3. Sometimes I go and play guitar or I write poetry or even just take a walk and clear my head.
4. The amazing people on 7 cups, my 7 cups family, my friends, and the courage to stay strong even when life throws me into holes and dark corners.
5. " No matter what life throws at you, I know you will overcome it a stronger person."