Depression Does Not Define Me

When I first applied to become a prefect in Grade 10, I was in a great place with really amazing friends. 当我当上级长后，我欣喜若狂，没有什么事能把我击垮. 我喜欢来学校，我喜欢做运动和看老师. 德洛姆在道德课上对特罗菲姆大喊大叫，因为我和凯姆林做了一件事，却没有受到惩罚, or going to History and stealing all of Mr. 在我们谈论我荒谬的时尚感时，西玛德的零食.

我的暑假很棒，九月份我就准备好回学校了. But life hit me hard. 那是在12月，我被诊断出患有重度抑郁症, 我再也找不到能让我开怀大笑的小事，也找不到能让我一天中最开心的事. 一开始我以为这只是冬季抑郁症，直到病情严重到我不能去上课. Even on the sunniest day of the year I didn't leave my room.

这个夏天也好不到哪里去，在12年级开始的时候，我的成绩是有史以来最低的. I lied to my parents and told them I was getting better, 我没有向我的朋友们敞开心扉，因为我害怕他们用不同的眼光看我. It took me until this past October to say I wasn’t okay, I needed help and I couldn’t do it by myself.

So why am I telling all about my depression? Well, depression is often misunderstood or stigmatized, 导致那些受苦者感到羞耻和孤立. 我正试图打破这些耻辱和羞耻的障碍. 作为一个社区，我们必须创造一种文化，在这种文化中，寻求帮助不是软弱的表现，而是勇气的表现. By fostering empathy, compassion and understanding, we must listen without judgment, offering support instead.

When I finally reached out for help, 我被教导说，定义我们的不是我们的挣扎，而是我们的韧性, our courage and our capacity for healing. At this point my life doesn’t revolve around my diagnosis. I still have bad days, 我必须接受这样一个事实:我每天服用的药物将永远是我生命的一部分, 但我更愿意和我的朋友们一起去练习，当我的老师. Hessian counts another Cavagnah. Or spend an hour laughing with my friends instead of studying. (Sorry, Ms. Weir, I know we have a test coming up.有必要强调的是，那些与抑郁症作斗争的人是可以得到帮助的.

Depression doesn’t just affect the individual; it has consequences for families and friends. It can impair relationships and hinder productivity. By addressing depression openly and compassionately, 我们可以努力为那些受影响的人创造一个更有利的环境.

我想这样结束我的演讲:每天当我回到我的宿舍, Camryn asks me what the highlight of my day was, and each day it’s different, but I always remember a quote I read by Sylvia Plath:

“I love people. Everybody. 我爱他们，我想，就像集邮者爱他的收藏一样. 每一个故事，每一件事，每一段对话都是我的素材. My love's not impersonal yet not wholly subjective either. I would like to be everyone but I am not omniscient. I have to live my life, and it is the only one I'll ever have.”