When I was first diagnosed with depression, it took a lot of self-acceptance and external support for me to grasp what I had been going through for many years as something tangible and medically 'real.'

For many who suffer from depression and mental health issues, there is a lot of scrutiny that comes with the label being attached to you. There is a lot of shame and hesitance to understand that what you have is a real illness like any other that can be cured or managed.