Written by April via bphope
Dear depressed April,

I know you are in pain. I know this is more than you want to handle right now and I know you’re exhausted. It’s not fair that you have to keep going through these extreme moods. I know your moods often last for months at a time and it can seem like there is no end in sight. Depression is the feeling that you will never experience joy or peace again. It is the feeling of deepest, darkest despair, clawing at your insides to destroy you.

Well I’m here to tell you that nothing, not even depression, lasts forever. I know from a stable viewpoint that your mania will not last forever either. You may or may not like that fact, but it is helpful to remember because it means that the depression will not last either. Keep going. The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train coming to run you over, it’s a train coming to rescue you. I know you don’t believe that right now but believe this: your mind is not working properly and these dark thoughts are not reality. Emotions and feelings are not always reliable and you have to remember who you really are.

You are a woman who loves music, who loves to write, dance, and sing. You love to laugh and make jokes and watch movies and hike in the woods. You even loved running at one point. You love good food and comforting things like candles and cuddling on the couch with your husband and dog. You are intelligent and kind and caring and you love God.

So remember these things, and hold fast to them.
The depression can be strong but you, and ultimately God, are stronger.

Love, the real April