What do we do when we feel hopeless? How does one move forward when they feel stuck and are unable to see a future in which they are free from the oppressive weight of this emotion? Hopelessness is a damning feeling, within it, we lose sight of the future, of progress, of freedom, of optimism, of positive thought and feeling. In doing so, we can become stuck in what feels like the middle of the ocean, with no land in sight, treading water endlessly until our arms and legs become weary and we begin to question whether it is even worth it any longer. This is the feeling that many with depression experience. A sense of hopelessness, a whirlpool that entraps all energy, emotion, action, decisions, and positivity until we feel empty and directionless, unable to move forward and unable to change.

Depression can be clinical, that is, as the result of perhaps a chemical imbalance within the brain. Depression can also be circumstantial, the result of grief and negative life experiences. But arguably the greatest threat depression presents us with is that of isolation. In the midst of the aforementioned hopelessness, depression encourages us to retreat, disconnect, isolate, and further remove ourselves from the people, places, and things we love. It is in this last truth the answer to move forward is found. One of the most difficult truths about depression is that it causes a self-focus that creates an infinite loop; the more I look at myself the more I am drawn into myself. To break free from depression we must begin to take steps towards things that are not of us, for example, volunteer work, serving others, caring for and connecting to those around us.