Dealing with depression can be such an alienating feeling as the people around you may not truly understand what you are going through, especially if they believe in the mental health stigma. But in fact, 24.6% of Black people and 19.6% of Latinx people suffer from depression and it is more likely that the depression will be persistent (Weatherly, 2022).
What does this statistic mean? It means that you are not alone in your fight against depression and that without some form of treatment or support, your symptoms will prevail. Treatment or support looks different for everybody. For the BIPOC community specifically, dark humor and connection to others are frequently used to help manage your symptoms.
Below are 5 memes to help you feel a little less alone (and perhaps chuckle), alongside a tip about how to move forward.
It’s common to experience anxiety with depression, but it can become conflicting when you’re trying to satisfy one symptom while the opposite pops up.
Tip: Try a relaxation technique to ease your anxiety before going to sleep.
Cutting your friends off while dealing with depression is common. Sometimes it’s just easier to deal with things alone. Tip: Tell your friends that you need a moment to yourself and that you will reach out when you’re ready.
Pets often become emotional support when you’re feeling numb inside. That love and comfort can bring you back to reality.
Tip: Having a pet comes with a lot of responsibilities, so before getting one weigh the pros and cons.
Similar to this tree, you may feel empty and numb inside. But the most important thing is that you’re still alive!
Tip: Practice gratitude as a reminder that even though you’re going through a tough time, you are still fighting for your life.
People will always give you common techniques to try to help you overcome your depression. But the truth is, it’ll only be helpful when you’re ready to hear it.
Tip: Seek therapy in conjunction with these techniques so that you’re being mentally and physically stimulated.
Bonus Meme!
A common misconception about depression is that it will make you change your personality to something more gloomy. In reality, happy-appearing people can have depression too.
Tip: There is no “one size fits all” way to have depression–it all hurts the same.
Bottom line: Depression sucks! It’s difficult to overcome, so finding little pockets of joy or happiness is essential in the process of healing. Hopefully, you found these memes helpful for you to feel a little less alone in your journey to self-healing.
If you or someone you know is experiencing feelings of depression, contact us today to request an appointment with one of our therapists.
Reference
Weatherly, S. (2022, July 26). Bipoc Mental Health month 2022 Week 2. Psychiatric Medical Care. Retrieved November 17, 2022, from https://www.psychmc.com/clinical-corner/bipoc-mental-health-month-2022-week 2#:~:text=Ethnic%2Fracial%20minorities%20often%20bear,likely%20to%20be%20more%20persistent.
About the Writer....
Emily Hodgson is a first-generation Latinx student at NYU pursuing her M.A. in Mental Health Counseling with an Advanced Certificate in LGBT Health, Education, and Social Services at NYU. As a Clinical Intern, she hopes to change the narrative and reduce the mental health stigma in the Latinx community. She strives to develop a trusting, collaborative, and empowering counseling relationship through a warm, patient and empathetic atmosphere.
Our mission at Wellness Tree Counseling Services is to promote wellness through a culturally sensitive lens so that individuals, families and communities are encouraged to rise to their full potential and engage life in meaningful ways. To learn more about our services, please visit www.wellnesstreecounseling.com
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