The Struggle Is Real: Explaining Depression to My Mother

It’s incredibly difficult for people to explain their experiences with depression and anxiety to their parents — especially when their parents can’t seem to empathize with the struggle.

Because most parents want their children to be happy, they focus on attempting to fix their children rather than accepting them for exactly who they are and where they are at. This dynamic not only exacerbates the stress, pain, and isolation that often accompanies depression and anxiety, it prevents parents from seeing their children as full and complete individuals.

Instead of working to “fix” their depression, parents should work to make sure their children know how much they unconditionally love and embrace them and the complicated fullness of their existence — mental health and all.



Please read the following Everyday Feminism articles to learn more about supporting loved ones who are struggling with depression and anxiety.

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Sabrina Benaim is a 26 year-old spoken word poet from Toronto. She likes ice cream, conversations, coffee, dancing and football. Please follow her on twitter at @badass_sab.

Video courtesy of Button Poetry. For more amazing spoken word performances, check them out on YouTube and Facebook.