I just got done trying to explain to my sister that they are not synonymous but I think I lost her at serotonin. So many people use the two as synonyms for one another and I feel this is often part of why people think we can just 'pull ourselves out of it' so easily. Depression is definitely far more than just sadness. Often, for me, it's nothing more than emptiness. I literally feel like nothing more than an empty shell. In those moments, I feel no emotion. Not even sadness. Sadness is just a symptom of depression. It is definitely not depression.

I get asked all kinds of questions that bother me. "What's wrong?" which seems innocent enough but it's the way it's asked that bothers me. (As though they expect me to be upset about one thing rather than simply not knowing what's wrong) And heaven forbid I don't answer or say "I don't know". Then the reaction I get is never pleasant. I'll get them complaining about me always seeming angry or always being 'sad'. It gets tiring. And yes, there's the "Are you sad?", too.

I've gotten to a point where I just ignore the questions. Because it seems like no matter how much I try to explain that I don't know, I'm just wasting my breath and making myself blue in the face.

Aye, there's the "You look rough" comments, too. Those are probably the worst for me. I know I do. I don't need 100 people pointing it out.