Think about your relationships: are they a source of stress you’d rather avoid, or do they encourage and fulfill you? We all struggle with relationships sometimes. For me, they are often a source of anxiety rather than the enrichment that God intends for me. I stress about them, grappling with questions of what I can do or change. I pin blame on myself, which leaves me feeling lost and guilty. 

You try so hard and get nowhere. You are not good at this. You will never be good enough. No one cares about you. If you died today they wouldn’t miss you. You aren’t special in any way. You are just white noise. Nobody loves you. You are alone. These are the types of harsh, cold words that race through your mind when you sink into the dark pit of depression.

Chronic depression doesn’t just go away with medicine and encouragement.