 Depression is already an exhausting and painful battle. Everyday chores get neglected, going to school and work becomes a struggle, and it's hard to get out of bed every morning when your alarm goes off. The whole world is moving, except for you. It feels like someone pushed the pause button and your life stopped playing. You know you need to reach out to your parents, but how? We understand how intimidating it is to approach your parents when you need them the most. Here are five ways to talk about depression with your parents. 1. Know that there's nothing wrong with asking for your parents' help. There is still a strong stigma attached to mental health disorders like depression, which often makes people feel ashamed or embarrassed to talk about it. But know that you're not alone. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, or WHO, 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression. Though it may feel like depression can be an all-consuming disorder that takes a lot out of you, understand that it doesn't define who you are. It's just something that you are unfortunately participating in, which is why it is crucial to let your parents know that you need their support now more than ever. Your depression can distort your own self-perceptions that affects your self-esteem. It can also create the fear of being vulnerable, which is why you may have difficulty letting your parents know about your depression. But fear only has as much control as we allow it. 2. Get yourself in a calm state before starting the conversation with your parents. You may feel scared, nervous, or overwhelmed before approaching your parents about your depression. It's not an easy process, so give yourself some credit for being brave. This is a huge step you're taking, and you should be proud that you've acknowledged that you need their help. If you're worried about having a breakdown or tearing up before any words can come out of your mouth, go out for some fresh air and take a walk to clear your mind or listen to some soothing music that can alleviate some of your anxiety. You can even invite your parents to go on the walk with you, or go out for a relaxing drive that can lower your self-consciousness. 3. Let your parents know that your depression is not their fault or a reflection of their mistakes, flaws, or failures. One reason why kids or teenagers often feel reluctant to approach their parents about their depression is because they're afraid their parents may take it the wrong way and start to blame themselves for not being better parents. The last thing you want to do is hurt your parents' feelings or cause them to worry about you even more, especially if your family is already facing daily stressful situations, whether that involves finances, an illness, divorce, or work-related problems that bleed into your home. But understand that the effects of depression have been weighing you down and hindering your ability to perform your everyday tasks. If you continue to shrug it off and try to wait it out, your condition may worsen over time, which will concern your parents when the signs are harder to hide. 4. If you don't want to approach your parents alone, you can talk to your guidance counselor or another professional and have them monitor the conversation. If you're worried that you may need someone else by your side to help get the conversation flowing, you can make an appointment with your guidance counselor or another professional and invite your parents in one day to talk. Since professionals have been trained to handle situations like this, they can also provide you with many valuable insights and offer helpful advice for you and your parents. The more support you receive, the better off you'll be because you won't have to battle with your depression alone. Talking to a professional can also open the doors for your parents to reach out if they wish to express their concerns and seek answers for questions that may come up. 5. Let your parents know what you need from them and brainstorm a plan with them that can help you recover from your depression. Communication is key. Your parents aren't mind readers, so let them know what to expect and what you need from them. Understand that recovery is never a straightforward path and inform your parents too. Even if your parents may not always understand where you're coming from, they can still try. Together, you can brainstorm ways that can help you get better. Let them know that you are overwhelmed and that you may not be sure where to start. You and your parents can create schedules that help you focus on one task at a time that don't require too much of your energy. Starting small is encouraged. Once you feel more capable of getting back into the swing of your usual routine, you can begin to include more activities in your schedule. Depression can slow you down, but your will to go on is what ultimately pulls you out of that darkness. Do you have difficulty talking about depression with your parents? We understand that it's not easy and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. As always, if you liked this video, be sure to check out our website and other social media, as well as our Patreon account for more content. And don't forget to subscribe. Thanks for watching.