Depression is......................................

  

  I went through depression 12+ years ago.  I was in my 20s.  I had just became a follower of Christ.  Not many months after that some dark times followed.  Life seemed well on the outside.  But for some reason on the inside there was a deep gloom and darkness.  It was like living in a dark tunnel with a glimpse of light.  I knew that light was Jesus.  It was only a glimpse of it though.  I didn't understand why I felt the way that I felt.  Something was wrong but I didn't know what.  I felt trapped and unable to get of of the dark gloom that had surrounded me.  Why couldn't I feel happiness and joy anymore??  I didn't understand.  I would suffer from horrific stomach cramps.  My stomach would get in knots.  I didn't tell anyone because I didn't think they would understand.  Hell, I didn't even understand.  I knew they would look at me and say "What reason do you have to be depressed?".  Unfortunately, as women we are not given much space to go through things like depression.  In our culture people tend to think that when you are down and can't pick yourself up, you are weak and you need to "get over it".  There is a reason why heart disease is the number 1 killer for women.  It tends to be harder to detect in women.  That is not a coincidence.  When you are depressed you feel trapped.  There is hope..........