‘Build your own worth rather than borrowing it from others’
QI’m a 19-year-old boy, who has struggled with depression for the longest time. I’ve been to multiple therapists but not one seems to stick and make a difference to me. However, I recently made friends with a girl in my college. She’s empathetic and kind. She helps me with my work and listens to me talk about my struggles. I also think she happens to like me a lot. I feel like I’m addicted to talking to her because she makes me feel better, but I don’t know if I’m ready to be romantically involved with her. But I don’t want to lose her either, given her expectations from me. What do I do?
Depression can be highly debilitating. Pervasive feelings of helplessness can make you feel that life is a struggle. It is commendable that you have made progress in therapy but you must be consistent. It is good to have social supports that make you well connected to others and you do not feel isolated and lonely.
While attraction is a usual phenomenon that happens to most teenagers, you must focus on you claiming an identity, academically, as well as on the social front. Heartaches of this phase can be painful and can leave you feeling empty and worthless. It is important that you focus on building your worth rather than borrowing it from others.
Understand that if you are going through clinical depression you might have to see a psychiatrist, who will give you medicines that can help you. Therapy alone may not be sufficient. You can plan on working with your therapist to establish certain life goals in short term and long term and become more independent in your decision-making and emotionally stable.