My mom simply took care of me. You know, cooking for me, chatting about some things, and watching movies with me. She just made me feel safe and calm. She always checked on me if I was eating, and from time to time, she would ask me to go to the grocery with her. Sometimes I would go, but sometimes I'd stay in bed. I always felt that I had to go though because she was taking care of me and that was the only way I could help out. I guess that in turn helped me get out of and catch some sun.

I just gave myself some time to rest. I came from doing stressful jobs and the pressure of training abroad. I slept a lot and I didn't force myself to do anything. There were days I would overthink things and cry, but it became less and less as days went by. My dog was also always with me. She helped me a lot. I'd talk to her when I was down and it always seemed to me that she was actually listening. Remembering my dog now makes me cry. I had to let her go 2 years ago because she was so sick.

Anyway, when my friends heard about me coming back, they visited me and tried to cheered me up. My sister also came every week. She'd stay overnight on Fridays and they'd encourage me to go out and walk around the neighborhood. I remember they brought me to the beach one time because they knew that was my favorite place. We didn't actually discuss anything about my depression. They just let me have my space and let me do what I wanted.

I didn't do anything special like exercise or meditation. I heard that works for some people. The main reason I woke up every day and tried my best to recover is that I didn't want to see my family and my friends worry about me. I kept on thinking about my failures, but I always had the thought that I have to take responsibility for all of those things. I'd talk to my dog when I felt this way and she'd sit by my side. She was my non-judgmental therapist. I guess it really helps when someone listens.

That's all I remember.