My Journey with Depression and Anxiety

People who suffer from depression hide how they feel.  Often, they feel ashamed of their feelings and feel like no one will understand what they are going through or what it is like.

The truth is, that mental illness tends to be swept under the rug.

When people think of “diversity and inclusion”, people tend to think about gender equality, race equality, sexual orientation equality, and Autism.  Which is all fine, but what about people who suffer from anxiety and depression?

Why is depression and anxiety swept under the rug?  Why is it socially  acceptable to be homosexual, but not to be depressed?

What I find truly interesting that depression has a place in music.

Look at the lyrics of the song ‘Creature Comfort’ by Arcade Fire:

“Some boys hate themselves

Spend their lives resenting their fathers

Some girls hate their bodies

Stand in the mirror and wait for the feedback

Saying God, make me famous

If you can’t just make it painless

Just make it painless

Assisted suicide

She dreams about dying all the time

She told me she came so close

Filled up the bathtub and put on our first record

Saying God, make me famous

If you can’t just make it painless

Just make it painless

It goes on and on, I don’t know what I want

On and on, I don’t know if I want it

On and on, I don’t know what I want

On and on, I don’t know if I want it

(On and on I don’t know what I want)

(On and on I don’t know if I want it)

(On and on I don’t know what I want)

(On and on I don’t know if I want it)

Some girls hate themselves

Hide under the covers with sleeping pills and

Some girls cut themselves

Stand in the mirror and wait for the feedback

Some boys get too much, too much love, too much touch

Some boys starve themselves

Stand in the mirror and wait for the feedback

Creature comfort makes it painless

Bury me penniless and nameless

Born in a diamond mine

It’s all around you but you can’t see it

Born in a diamond mine

It’s all around you but you can’t touch it

Saying God, make me famous

If you can’t just make it painless

Just make it painless

It’s not painless

She was a friend of mine, a friend of mine

And we’re not nameless, oh

It goes on and on, I don’t know what I want

On and on, I don’t know if I want it

On and on, I don’t know what I want

On and on, I don’t know if I want it

(On and on I don’t know what I want)

(On and on I don’t know if I want it)

(On and on I don’t know what I want)

Well if you’re not sure, better safe than sorry

Creature comfort, make it painless

Creature comfort, make it painless

We’re the bones under your feet

The white lie of American prosperity

We wanna dance but we can’t feel the beat

I’m a liar, don’t doubt my sincerity

Just make it painless

Creature comfort, make it painless

Na-na-na-na

Na-na-na na-na-na-na

(Na-na-na-na na-na-na)

(Na-na-na-na na-na-na)

Na-na-na na-na-na-na

Na-na-na na-na-na-na

(Na-na-na-na na-na-na)

Creature comfort, make it painless”

Here’s a link to a website where they talk about the meaning behind the song: The meaning of the song ‘Creature Comfort’ by Arcade Fire

I find it interesting that they point out that the person that they are singing about that killed herself was their friend and it was not painless.  It, also, points out the white lie of American Prosperity.

The song dives into the mind of someone who is depressed and to the ledge looking over the edge.

…Some girls hate themselves

Hide under the covers with sleeping pills and

Some girls cut themselves…

…Saying God, make me famous

If you can’t just make it painless

Just make it painless…

Depression is still a blight on society and there is no one to champion awareness of depression or anxiety.

Depression pushes people to hate themselves and to the point that the just want to make it all painless.  Painless make be a bottle of sleeping pills or cutting oneself.

Awareness is needed and people who are depressed need to know that they are not alone and do not have to go through it by themselves.

Even if you don’t understand or cannot fathom the thoughts that are behind what someone is going through, do what you can to help them find that light at the end of the tunnel.