The World Health Organization revealed that in 2017, 300 million people around the world were diagnosed with depression and this is a very scary statistic to digest.

The thing with this silent killer is that we pretend it’s not there, myself included.
For years I battled with depression but I turned a blind eye to it.

It literally took me 10 years to accept I was battling with a mental illness, the signs were always there, the isolation from family and friends, dreading to show up at work, not attending family gatherings, feeling embarrassed because of it made me paranoid.

You simply just stop enjoying life and you end up becoming miserable and fearful to face people.

One-day it all became too much for me because I wanted it all to end, at that moment I thought of an easy way out, suicide seemed like the easiest route to take so I ended up overdosing, at that time it felt like the only option left.

After my suicidal attempt I accepted help and endured the process.

I was hospitalised at a mental institution for a period of three weeks, I began opening up to feel pain and deal with what was hurting me, the more I dealt with my problems and fear, the more I got peace within myself.

Mind you, there were difficult days where by it was a dread to lift myself up from bed but I pushed myself because I needed to heal and triumph over my depression so giving up was not an option.

When I was discharged from hospital, I started becoming overwhelmed and facing the world again was not an easy task, but I felt like I was given a second chance, which most unfortunately many did not get.

I pulled myself together and there was a technique I use as my daily reminder, I tell myself and make a mental note that I am bigger, stronger and more powerful than this mental illness. And that I am blessed and deserve to live a normal life.

Ever since my second chance of living I made a promise to achieve my goals and to pursue my dreams and that is what makes life more enjoyable.

When you set goals for yourself, you start becoming more enthusiastic about life again, that’s when you start beating depression and overcoming it.

Doing the things that make you feel good also, acts as a major tool in breaking a mental illness by just picking up a hobby or putting exercises or jogging in your daily routine can do wonders for the mind and body because you become rejuvenated after each work out.

There is a quote that I like which was written by Helen Keller and it goes like this:
“Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

It reminds me that life is meant to be lived, enjoyed and no depression is worth robing you from living life.

Tell us: What do you do to create a positive space for your mental health?