10 Quotes To Feel Less Alone In Your Mental Health Journey

Language is powerful. Our words can serve as sources of inspiration, creativity, and clarity, especially during difficult seasons of life. 

If you’re living with PDD or SAD, your symptoms may feel familiar and perhaps even like a part of your identity. With proactive and ongoing treatment, however, you may be able to enhance your quality of life and your ability to engage in everyday activities. 

2. "I was okay just a moment ago. I will learn how to be okay again." –Nina LaCour, We Are Okay

We Are Okay is a young adult novel about friendship and grief after a bad situation. In it, one of LaCour’s characters reflects on feeling “okay” and their ability to continue healing and growing—even against the deeper and more hurtful backdrop of depression.

Those who feel like there’s no point treating symptoms can take comfort in the fact that depression does have a high treatment-success rate. More specifically, many people are able to effectively manage their symptoms with a combination of psychotherapy, anti-depressant medication, support groups, and/or personalized coping strategies.

3. "Things to do today: 1) Breathe in, 2) Breathe out." –Ned Vizzini, It's Kind of a Funny Story

4. “The frequent attempt to conceal mental pain increases the burden. It is easier to say 'My tooth is aching' than to say 'My heart is broken.' Yet if the cause is accepted and faced, the conflict will strengthen and purify the character and in time the pain will usually pass.” –C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

5. “Art is a wound turned into light.” –Georges Braque

If you have limited experience with the arts, tapping into your creativity only requires simple materials and a willingness to try something new. Knitting, collaging, scrapbooking, drawing, writing poetry, sculpting with clay, coloring, and painting are just a few of nearly endless examples of ways to express yourself through art. These activities may bring about a cathartic cry or crying, realizations, inspiration, growth, or a sense of hope. If you’re looking for more guidance, you might explore art therapy with a licensed provider.

6. “There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.”  –John Green, Turtles All the Way Down

With the support of loved ones and a psychotherapist, it is possible to challenge and overcome unhealthy patterns of thinking in favor of more realistic and positive thoughts. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a common therapeutic intervention designed to help individuals understand and change unwanted thought patterns, especially in the context of depression. 

Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses, affecting approximately 280 million people worldwide according to the World Health Organization. You may be able to rest in the fact that not just a million people but 280 million people, at least, have felt the way you feel—and that many have gone on to successfully manage their symptoms. The thought of all these people and their resilience may serve as a source of inspiration and comfort.

Wrestler and actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson opened up about his experience with depression in a series of interviews, speaking about how he finally learned coping mechanisms that are helpful for him in order to come out the other side of his illness. In recent years, more celebrities and public figures have candidly discussed their mental health journeys, contributing to efforts to destigmatize mental illness and help people feel less alone. 

Loneliness and depression are often interlinked, as it’s possible for either one to lead to the other. While it can be hard to reach out when you feel lonely, you might try and remind yourself of the potential mood-boosting power of even a 10-minute phone call with a family member or a walk through the park with a friend. You don’t need a huge crowd of friends or acquaintances; just a few healthy interactions or supportive friends could help you remember how nourishing human connection can be.

9. “There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds.” –Laurell K. Hamilton, Mistral's Kiss

Depression can vary in severity and in presentation from person to person, so there’s no one way for it to look and no single, straightforward response to experiencing it. Some may even feel the pressure to lie or conceal symptoms, sometimes referred to as “masking.” Keeping this and the message of the “There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper…” quote in mind can help us all act with more compassion toward one another. It may also encourage those who suspect they may be experiencing depression to seek help, no matter how mild their symptoms may seem.

10. “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger—something better, pushing right back.” –Albert Camus

This quote can be interpreted as a message of hope to everyone who is experiencing trials and challenges in life. It recognizes the wellspring of strength and resilience that each person has and can cultivate in themselves to call on when times are difficult. Even when things look bleak, there can be hope for a more positive future.

Taking the first step toward healing by seeking professional support

Psychotherapy is a common and potentially effective treatment option for people diagnosed with depression. While some prefer to attend therapy in person, others appreciate the convenience of an online therapy platform like BetterHelp. You can use it to get matched with a licensed therapist who suits your needs and preferences. Next, you can schedule meetings with them that can take place via phone or video call from anywhere you have an internet connection. 

A significant body of research highlights the potential effectiveness of online therapy. For example, consider a 2019 randomized controlled trial of an internet-based cognitive behavior therapy (iCBT) program for adults with symptoms of depression. The findings suggest that the severity of depression symptoms in the participants decreased significantly over eight weeks of treatment, and work and social functioning and resilience were reported to improve as well.