Growing up, "depression" was not a word we were allowed to have

Where I come from, sadness that doesn't leave is called laziness, or a lack of prayer, or a spirit that needs cleansing. So for years I had no name for what was happening to me. I just thought I was weak.

Getting help felt like betrayal — like admitting our faith or our family wasn't enough. It took me a long time to understand that needing support isn't a failure of belief. You can pray and still see a professional. You can love your family and still need someone outside it.

If you're reading this and it sounds familiar: what you're feeling is real, it has a name, and it can get better. That was the most important thing nobody told me.