"My speech for NAMI's 'Our Own Words' event isn't really my story. I have a story, but I don't really go into it too much. Instead, I tried to explain what depression is like to the listeners in a way they could understand. There's a divide between people who have experienced mental illness and those who haven't. Many people will tell you it's just something you can't understand unless you've been through it. And, to an extent, I agree. But that divide and misunderstanding really contributes to the stigma. If you think someone with depression should 'just cheer up,' then there's a misunderstanding. Or if you have one idea of what someone with depression looks like or acts like, there's a misunderstanding. 

"At the end of my speech, there's a somewhat positive spin on things. Depression has taught me a lot: how to enjoy the little things, how to appreciate every day as a new day. But with my depression comes a greater appreciation of happiness--and that's my overall message. Don't get me wrong, mental illness sucks, and it's hard, but it's given me a new outlook and new appreciations that people can relate to, whether or not they have a mental illness."