The WORST Thing About Depression is …

There is a fantastic, passionate, profoundly honest, deeply wrenching effort going on RIGHT NOW to try to take the stigma out of depression. What I’m talking about is the movement gathering under the hashtag #TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs. People are telling their stories, and the stories of those they love, with and without names, but always with bald-faced honesty. They describe the ways in which expectations, interactions, judgments, sensations, and experiences serve to compound what is already a paralyzing destructive illness. Here are just a few of these amazing tweets.

* THE BLOGGESS

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs the waiting. Waiting inside my broken head for it to go away and not knowing if it will outlast me.

— Jenny Lawson (@TheBloggess) August 7, 2015

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs fighting a disorder that wants to kill you. Knowing that depression lies but not being sure which are the lies.

— Jenny Lawson (@TheBloggess) August 7, 2015

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs that just talking about this disorder we desperately need to destigmatize can be a trigger.

— Jenny Lawson (@TheBloggess) August 7, 2015

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs that the people most likely to suffer of die from it are often too tired to be activists to bring change.

— Jenny Lawson (@TheBloggess) August 7, 2015

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs everything I just said. But in spite of that, depression ends. Depression lies. You are alive. Today you win.

— Jenny Lawson (@TheBloggess) August 7, 2015

PS. I'm (KNOCK WOOD) not in a depression today. Just saw the hashtag trending & wanted to boost the signal. I'm good. Thank u for caring.

— Jenny Lawson (@TheBloggess) August 7, 2015

* EXPECTATIONS

https://twitter.com/awesomelyla/status/629669565564350465

https://twitter.com/DanaGeezus/status/629612568164741121

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs working at a job that requires you to be cordial and welcoming

— ⚡Mr. Brightside☮️ (@Will3K85) August 7, 2015

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs the guilt. Feeling like you are letting everyone down. That those you love deserve someone better.

— 🏳️‍🌈 Paige 🏳️‍🌈 (@GameOverRos) August 7, 2015

* INTERACTIONS

#TheWorstPartofDepressionIs struggling to communicate your feelings with others. pic.twitter.com/g2NvFO7P8n

— Project UROK (@ProjectUROK) August 7, 2015

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs that people do not treat depression like any other medical illness. In fact, some of us are mocked for having it

— Bougie Black Girl (@BougieBlackGurl) August 7, 2015

https://twitter.com/mebrianne/status/629628332938637312

https://twitter.com/therankspoon/status/629642407534030848

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs The constant lie of, "I'm okay.", and the fact that people still believe it. :)))))

— Elijah Kingston (@ThisFauxThough) August 7, 2015

So many suggestions from well-meaning people are basically this:

"Have you tried not feeling depressed?"#TheWorstPartofDepressionIs

— Charlotte Clymer 🇺🇦 (@cmclymer) August 7, 2015

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs no one understands your viewpoint pic.twitter.com/RrE1NA4Fa8

— BonnieLynn Marie 🍀🎩🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 (@TheLastPirateLA) August 7, 2015

https://twitter.com/SassySunflowr/status/629697668013522944

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs having someone tell you how you're feeling

— sweet william (@avxlanche) August 7, 2015

https://twitter.com/snowflxke/status/629730533635956736

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs faking a smile so other people aren't burdened with the constant rain inside you.

— Nikita Gill (@nktgill) August 7, 2015

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs rejecting whoever tries to help you and then convincing yourself that nobody wants you

— Leann (@badassswifey) August 7, 2015

* JUDGMENTS

https://twitter.com/depressionarmy/status/629649723167801344

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs people think that depression is a character defect, not a chemical imbalance.

— Tonisha🔪 (@TLB8275) August 7, 2015

It also FEELS like a character defect. @TLB8275 #TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs Your brain tells you you're a worthless pile of shit all day.

— 🌷dicentra🌷 (@dicentra33) August 7, 2015

https://twitter.com/Killpandakill/status/629629721655906304

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs when people call you "weak" or "selfish" because you are dealing with your depression.

— Bougie Black Girl (@BougieBlackGurl) August 7, 2015

https://twitter.com/ErikaLSanchez/status/629645979193479168

https://twitter.com/tiaranourishad/status/629663258517975040

https://twitter.com/RevDaniel/status/629824654912393216

* SENSATIONS

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs
This is the most accurate depiction of depression I've ever seen. pic.twitter.com/XfKzhMkqbe

— Funny Tweets (@FunnyThingsUK) August 7, 2015

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs working at a job that requires you to be cordial and welcoming

— ⚡Mr. Brightside☮️ (@Will3K85) August 7, 2015

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs the every day struggle is exhausting@batshake1 @NoompsyDahling pic.twitter.com/WMsRwzNgPu

— Misty may have (@DaiseyDoesIt) August 7, 2015

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs your mind running itself to exhaustion.

— Your Average Thea (@EKeratsis) August 7, 2015

https://twitter.com/ThinkingWeasel/status/629659460047273984

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs Feeling like a prisoner in your own mind, while the world thinks your'e "A little Bummed out"

— Local Man Reportedly (@mckinley_mike) August 7, 2015

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs the physical pain that most people don't talk about. Depression HURTS.

— RoyalHoeliness @ bsky.social (@RoyalHoeliness) August 7, 2015

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs the rain. it's everywhere. it's a part of you now. you see rain in people you love and it makes you stay in bed

— sweet william (@avxlanche) August 7, 2015

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs it truly never goes away, the thoughts and feelings stay even when you're at your happiest

— jess (@perfectlyjess_) August 8, 2015

https://twitter.com/RevDaniel/status/629822890922385408

#TheWorstPartofDepressionIs fighting that war inside your head constantly. pic.twitter.com/qOAMvVQa6P

— Project UROK (@ProjectUROK) August 7, 2015

* EXPERIENCES

https://twitter.com/depressionarmy/status/629697049169141760

https://twitter.com/keywilliamss/status/629624866098950144

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs someone telling you to pray it away!

— La Femme Negrita (@LaFemme_Negrita) August 7, 2015

https://twitter.com/bookchick1327/status/629642440232841216

You can be on the right medication, exercise regularly, have a great sleep schedule, and still be depressed.#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs

— Charlotte Clymer 🇺🇦 (@cmclymer) August 7, 2015

#TheWorstPartOfDepressionIs losing amazing people to it pic.twitter.com/2rLM8KTh8q

— ☘️🍻Jables🍻☘️ (@Cowabunga_Dude1) August 7, 2015

https://twitter.com/joshuamneff/status/629703280495472640

https://twitter.com/suxicidal/status/629732435069128704

https://twitter.com/jennieahlgren/status/629746766628417536

https://twitter.com/NoompsyDahling/status/629738588947783685

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

https://twitter.com/pvrpnai/status/629787321831829504