Overcome Depression – How Depression Helped Me To Find Meaning To Life

“Remember, the Darkest Nights Produce the Brightest Stars.”

If you are reading this article you probably either struggle with depression or know somebody who does. I’m here to tell you that you aren’t alone and you can overcome depression. I did. No matter how hopeless it feels, it is possible to not only overcome depression but to use it to your advantage.

My Story – Overcoming Depression

The very first time I experienced depression was when I was 16 years old. It started as a brief feeling. It was a feeling that something was wrong or different. I felt a sense of sadness like I’ve never felt before. After that moment, the sadness only got worse, with more and more moments like that.

I Didn’t Want to Admit That I Was Depressed

During this time my mom noticed that I was acting different and she made me take an online depression test. I lied and told her I passed the test, but I failed it pretty badly.

I didn’t want to admit that I was depressed because I thought it would make me weak. I am a strong person so admitting that I needed help would be tough on my ego. I was also young and didn’t want to listen to anyone else as I thought I knew best.

I Was Finally Ready and Willing to Get Help to Overcome My Depression

The pain of being depressed was too much to bear. It was less painful to admit I was depressed than to spend any more days with this sadness. Finally, I was ready and willing to get help to overcome the depression. I went and saw a doctor about getting medication.

Throughout the years, I was on every kind of antidepressant you can think of. I kept switching medications because I experienced nasty side effects from the pills.

I did find one that seemed to work ok although it did give me some stomach pain. Sometimes it was very excruciating and other times I barely noticed it. So, I stuck with it. But I didn’t like covering my pain with medication. I wanted a real solution.

I also went to counselors to help me with my depression. Some of them gave me good advice and others didn’t seem to do much but make me more upset. I did receive some good insights and advice, but it wasn’t enough. The depression was getting better but wasn’t completely gone. 

What Was My Life Like Living with Depression?

During this depression, I felt miserable and I hated everything. At times, I didn’t want to live. Depression can cause you to act irrationally and do things you might regret.

I even tried taking my own life once when I was 21 years old. I was so upset over a boy rejecting me that I felt completely hopeless. I was in so much pain and I didn’t know how to cope.

On a Sunday afternoon, I drank a few bottles of wine and took at least 15 Tylenol. It was one of the worst nights of my life.

That night I threw up around 30 times and my stomach hurt so bad I thought I was dying. I had never before felt that kind of physical pain in my life. It was worse than anything I have ever experienced.

The next day I called in sick to work. I felt like I was in a dream state. I couldn’t think and felt like everything in my world was different. I couldn’t even get dressed as I had no energy. I lost so many fluids that my body was barely working.

It took me 2 hours to walk from my bed to the fridge to get water. They were about 20 feet apart. I was so weak that I had nothing in me to even walk a few steps. I had to stop and take a break every couple of steps.

Finally, I had enough energy late that afternoon to get myself to the hospital. I arrived at the hospital and told the nurses I thought I was severely dehydrated.

I told them I drank too much wine, but I didn’t admit to taking all the pills. I was ashamed of what I did.

They gave me an IV because I was so dehydrated. I almost died. Dying would have been less painful than what I endured that night.

I told my friends and family I drank too much wine. I didn’t want anyone to know what I actually tried to do. It was the first and last time I have ever attempted anything so ridiculous. 

That Night Changed My Perspective on Life

During that experience, I felt a comforting sense that someone was looking after me. After all, I did not die and I very well could have. It was a very soft, comforting energy that I felt during the excruciatingly painful night.

After that night, I wanted to understand why I was so sad. I wanted to get to the bottom of why I was feeling that way. I wanted to understand life on a deeper level.

Why was I here? There must be a reason. Because if not I wouldn’t have made it through that night.

How Did I Overcome Depression? A Surprising Event Led Me Down a Spiritual Path

The medication I took and the counselors I went to throughout the years helped me with my depression. But it wasn’t enough. There was still something missing.

It wasn’t until I got my first psychic reading that I was led down a new path of spirituality, unlike anything I had ever been down before.

I hesitantly called up a psychic that my friend recommended to me. I thought “this might be fun.” However, I was BLOWN AWAY during the reading!

Without saying a word, she told me things no one else knew. She knew the new pillow I bought was good for my neck. I was the only person who knew I just bought a new pillow.

After that, I was so excited because I realized there is more to life than what we can see with our physical eyes. There is a much deeper meaning.

One Event Can Trigger a Life-Changing Chain of Events

I used the depression to dig deep and find meaning in this life. It all started with that one psychic reading. I was completely blown away by the reading! It inspired me to dig deep for answers as to “why we are here” and “why does life happen the way it does?”

I started to learn about the Law of Attraction and dug deeper into spirituality. By spirituality, I don’t mean religion. I mean the deeper reason why we are here on earth and about all those things we can’t see.

It gave me a more profound meaning to life. I started to understand that I created my reality and it helped me to realize that I was way more powerful than I thought I was. It helped me to understand that I was in control of my life.

Depression Can Make Us Feel Like We Have No Control

Sometimes when we are depressed we can feel like we have no control over anything. I used to feel like I had no control over what happened in my life. Once I started to understand that I create my own reality it gave me a renewed sense of purpose and why I was here.

I continue to learn about spirituality and why things are the way they are. It really helps me and prevents me from falling back into a depressed state again. I used my depression as a catalyst to learn about life and it helped to bring me out of my rut.

No More Medication to Treat My Depression

I used to be on anti-depressants for many years and they did help. But one day I just knew it was time to go off of them (which I don’t recommend unless talking to a doctor first). I quit taking them and haven’t had depression in many years.

My intuition told me it was ok to go off of the pills. It was the right decision for me. I haven’t had to go back on the medication since then. I have not felt that type of depression in years. I now use the depression to my advantage to learn things and to understand life more.

Spirituality Helped Me to Overcome Depression

My greatest help to overcome depression was learning about life and why things happen the way they do. It gave me excitement as I learned because it was all so new and fascinating to me and it made me excited about life again. I NEEDED to understand why I felt so bad.

It led me down a lot of different paths that contributed to a ton of personal development for me. I learned about the Law of Attraction, Chakras, Astrology, Self-Worth, Spirituality, and many other things.  So, it’s a matter of using the depression to dig deeper and learn about whatever it is that you want to learn.

I did not take a magic pill to get rid of my depression. It was a combination of a whole bunch of things that helped me to kick depression to the curb. However, my recovery journey started with a psychic reading.

Throughout the years when something bad happened to me, I would think “my life sucks, why does everything bad happen to me?” That was the depressed version of myself. 

I Look at Obstacles as Challenges Now

Now I think “why did this happen the way it did, I am going to research and find answers so that I can prevent it from happening again. What do I need to learn from this experience?

I am the one in control of my life – nobody else is.” I now use experiences to LEARN from them instead of letting them consume me and cause me to feel helpless and depressed.

Do I ever get upset and sad?  Absolutely. But I have not had that hopeless feeling in years. I have not had that feeling that I had no reason to live. I question life just like anyone but have not gone back to that dark place.

Depressions Does NOT Last Forever – You Can Overcome Depression

Depression can be really difficult to deal with & live with. Take it from someone who had it for years. If I can overcome depression, so can you. It is a matter of using the depression to benefit you instead of letting it control you.

If you are depressed right now, trust me it WILL get better. Nothing ever stays exactly the same. No one is doomed to be depressed forever. You can overcome depression! Use the depression as a catalyst to do something great with your life. Don’t let the depression win. It is your life and YOU are the one in charge. 

~Meghan

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