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Capturing a snapshot of depression doesn’t necessarily equate to mournful pictures of tears or sadness. Depression is, after all, a dark and complex creature that manifests itself in different ways in different people who suffer from it.
Look at the picture below for example. You might see a girl going through the same normal routine that most of us go through on a regular basis, but the truth is that the girl in the picture – Katelyn Marie Todd – isn’t going through a normal routine at all. She’s doing her best to overcome the depression that’s drained her of so much energy that she hadn’t even been able to brush her hair for the last four weeks.
“It was matted and twisted together,” she wrote on Facebook recently. “It snapped and tore with every stroke. I cried while I washed and conditioned it, because I forgot how it felt to run my fingers through it. I brushed my teeth, too, for the first time in a week. My gums bled. My water ran red. I cried over that, as well.” The picture soon went viral after she uploaded it to Facebook, and so far it’s been liked more than 165k times and shared by over 235k people, many of whom praised her for sharing her experience.
“Please be easy on your friends and family that have trouble getting up the energy to clean, hang out, or take care of themselves,” she wrote. “And please, please take them seriously if they talk to you about it. We’re trying. I swear we’re trying. See? I brushed my hair today.”
More info: Facebook
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Katelyn Marie Todd recently uploaded this picture to Facebook to highlight the struggles of depression
“I brushed my hair today,” she wrote. “For the first time in 4 weeks”
“Depression isn’t beautiful. Depression is bad hygiene, dirty dishes, and a sore body from sleeping too much”
“Please be easy on your friends and family that have trouble getting up the energy to clean or hang out”
Her post has since been liked by more than 165k people and shared over 235k times
People were quick to voice their support, and many could relate to Katelyn’s experiences
What do you think ?
Talia Johnson 7 years ago
Anyone who has anything negative to say about depression sufferers should go and read Allie Brosh's pictoral story of depression on her blog Hyperbole and a Half. You can't really understand it unless you're in it - we should try our best not to judge others as our experiences are never theirs and vice versa. Kindness and understanding really are important.
Mascha Claessens 7 years ago
I remember my best friend having a severe depression during her teenage years. Back then I didn't really understand what was 'wrong' with her, and thought she was just a difficult teenager (which was also hard to understand for me, because I was such an easy one). I never went from her side though, and we're still best friends, even though it was hard at times, she liked to push people away (she still does that occasionally, as she also has borderline pd). Now I DO understand how it is to have an invisible illness (I have Crohn's disease). The fatigue and tiredness at times, just getting out of bed or, indeed, taking a shower, is sometimes such a big step to make. It obviously isn't exactly the same, but when I first started experiencing these things, I really felt myself growing up real quick, and understand the importance of being understanding, kind, honest and loyal to each other, because those kind of people were/are there for me and I need to be there for them as well. :-)
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Louie Neira 7 years ago
I'm going through this. The more you suffer, the less people want to help. People tell me to just "be happy" and act like nothing's wrong, but I've come to think it's more for their benefit, not mine. Tell a person with depression to be happy is like telling someone with cancer to "get better soon."
Anna Thouvenin 7 years ago
People are scared of what they can't control. So they just tend to avoid it so it doesn't scare them too much.
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Martha Gicharu 7 years ago
I am going through depression now and everyone thinks I'm just seeking attention... it really hurts
Alvaro MoVi 7 years ago
Well maybe you do, is that a bad thing? I think not. But being fragile, or accept that you need emotional comfort and care it's like a disea
Load More Replies... Talia Johnson 7 years ago
Anyone who has anything negative to say about depression sufferers should go and read Allie Brosh's pictoral story of depression on her blog Hyperbole and a Half. You can't really understand it unless you're in it - we should try our best not to judge others as our experiences are never theirs and vice versa. Kindness and understanding really are important.
Mascha Claessens 7 years ago
I remember my best friend having a severe depression during her teenage years. Back then I didn't really understand what was 'wrong' with her, and thought she was just a difficult teenager (which was also hard to understand for me, because I was such an easy one). I never went from her side though, and we're still best friends, even though it was hard at times, she liked to push people away (she still does that occasionally, as she also has borderline pd). Now I DO understand how it is to have an invisible illness (I have Crohn's disease). The fatigue and tiredness at times, just getting out of bed or, indeed, taking a shower, is sometimes such a big step to make. It obviously isn't exactly the same, but when I first started experiencing these things, I really felt myself growing up real quick, and understand the importance of being understanding, kind, honest and loyal to each other, because those kind of people were/are there for me and I need to be there for them as well. :-)
Load More Replies... Louie Neira 7 years ago
I'm going through this. The more you suffer, the less people want to help. People tell me to just "be happy" and act like nothing's wrong, but I've come to think it's more for their benefit, not mine. Tell a person with depression to be happy is like telling someone with cancer to "get better soon."
Anna Thouvenin 7 years ago
People are scared of what they can't control. So they just tend to avoid it so it doesn't scare them too much.
Load More Replies... Martha Gicharu 7 years ago
I am going through depression now and everyone thinks I'm just seeking attention... it really hurts
Alvaro MoVi 7 years ago
Well maybe you do, is that a bad thing? I think not. But being fragile, or accept that you need emotional comfort and care it's like a disea
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