Mental Health Check: Depression

Every day, someone you know could be dealing with depression.

According to a 2020 report from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), nearly eight and a half percent of all U.S. adults had at least one major depressive moment in their life.

According to the research, this happens more often to women 18 to 25 years old. Harley Martin, who suffers from depression, can relate to these statistics.

“One day I’ll get up and have a good day,” Martin said. “School and everything, and the next day I’m like ‘I just want to be in bed all day.’ I don’t want to talk to nobody because it’s like it drains your energy. To talk to people, to clean your room, or to get up and like do even the simplest thing, and I think a lot of people don’t understand that.”

Her family understands. Martin’s mother and siblings also live with depression, which can be hereditary.

“As good as it does feel to know that I’m not alone and that I know people that suffer from it as well, it’s harder I feel like to relate to especially my sister Harley,” said Aiden Martin, Harley Martin’s younger brother. “Because she’s not really vocal, and I’m not really vocal and we don’t talk about you know what’s going on with each other.”

These moments of holding back are what doctors say we should not do–staying in the dark. School psychiatrist Nancy Lee says it’s important to be there for one another.

“Being there for somebody who’s going through something emotional whether it’s depression or another mental health disorder,” Lee said. “That is the best thing that someone can do for others.”

Harley Martin hopes those who live with depression follow that recommendation.

“A lot of people around you I think are going through it, too. But they’re just not talking about it,” she said. “If you talk about it and you’re posting things like social media, post things and I’m sure people will text you. I’ve done it before and people text me that they go through the same thing. It’s not something to be embarrassed about.”