 Hey psych-to-goers. Have you ever thought that you might have depression? Well, you're not alone. If you're one of the 264 million people worldwide who live with some form of depression, then you know what it feels like to have the disease always hanging over your head like a rain cloud. Someone who's never lived with depression has never had to think too deeply about things like reaching out for support, how they talk to themselves, or not letting their emotions build until they explode. However, for someone suffering with depression, not thinking about these things can mean the difference between taming the disease or continuing to live under the weight of their depression. Here are four ways depression helps us understand life. One, depression can teach us the importance of how we talk to ourselves. You know those thoughts you sometimes get that tell you things like, I'm unlovable, nobody cares what I have to say, nobody wants me around. People who suffer with depression have thoughts like that almost all the time. But many people who have successfully managed their depression will tell you that your self-talk isn't always true. Our self-talk or those internal voices that seem to tell us how to perceive a situation determines a lot about how we think and feel about ourselves. If you're not aware of these thoughts, you'll unconsciously accept whatever you repeatedly think about yourself as reality. What are some things you often tell yourself about yourself? The good news is you can change your self-talk if it's hurting your mental health. Techniques such as reality testing, reframing and looking for alternate explanations when we come across the feeling or situation that triggers our depression can go a long way towards making our self-talk healthier. Two, depression teaches us that it's better out than in when it comes to our emotions. People bottle up their emotions for many reasons. Maybe they don't think anyone cares about how they feel or they think it's just not appropriate to express right then. Maybe their culture isn't being unexpressing emotion, or maybe they don't want to be seen as negative. Whatever the reason, bottling up your emotions can be downright dangerous for someone suffering with depression. Why, you may ask? Well, any emotion you don't express only gets stronger. All of our emotions are trying to tell us something. Think of your emotions as alarms for your mind and body. Happiness tells us that our basic needs are being met. Sadness tells us about loss. Anger tells us we're being blocked in some way. Fear and anxiety are meant to give us cues about our safety. When we ignore these feelings, they not only fester, but come out in other ways. Bottling up your emotions also makes asking for help even harder. Depression feeds on isolation. Suppressing your emotions often makes you feel more alone, which can make your depression worse. This puts more of a wall between you and those people who love you and want to help. 3. Depression can teach us how to be more present in our daily lives. Depression changes the way we connect with others. When we're dealing with depression, we often focus on what we could have, should have, would have done or said. Coupled with the other symptoms of depression, it's no wonder why this disorder is so draining. This can keep many people who suffer from depression from living in the present, which can make them appear self-absorbed or overly self-conscious. Heck, even people without depression can get distracted by the stresses of daily life. But what if we reconstructed our daily routines to make us feel more like active participants in our own lives? Many people who have successfully fought depression realize and are aware that they are not their thoughts. They don't let their thoughts get to them by detaching and observing them from moment to moment, without judging. 4. Depression can teach us the value of self-care. If you've been a psyched-to-goer for a while, you know that self-care is a big deal. But have you ever wondered why? And what does it have to do with depression? Experts suggest people suffering from depression pay special attention to their self-care, for an important reason. The overwhelming heavy nature of depression makes it difficult to find the energy to do the self-care we know and need. Making time for self-care becomes super crucial, because if you do a self-care habit long enough, you'll create a healthier thought pattern. This will help you counter the negative habits depression makes you think are normal. Living with depression can be overwhelming. Making the person with depression feel like every ounce of their energy goes to feeding the disorder. But people who have managed their depression have a lot to teach us about the things the rest of us take for granted, such as the value of relationships, setting goals, keeping a routine, and listening to our emotions. Of course, we want to hear about your experiences with depression. Are you battling depression right now? If so, how are you coping with it so far? Let us know in the comments. As always, any information provided here is for entertainment and educational purposes only. If you need mental health counseling or treatment, please contact your insurance company, local colleges, student counseling clinic, or your county crisis line. Keep watching the Psych2Go channel for more information on mental illness and mental health. Help is out there. Thanks for watching.