Depression is like a blanket, for it envelopes you. This “blanket” however, blinds you from reason, leaving you isolated and vulnerable in your own mind. Every single bad thing that has happened to you is all brought up and you try to contain it, but soon it just becomes too much. Leaving you alone in the dark, it flourishes. Depression can affect anyone, anywhere. There is no age limit, specific gender, or even race that is centred out as a possible target. Everything suddenly becomes your fault, no matter what. I never thought that that darkness would ever find me, until one day, it did.
March Break is a time for students to relax and vacation. My two best friends and I decided to spend our time roaming aimlessly around the country back roads and taking in the serenity. That’s when I first saw the cuts. Dozens on each wrist of Alaina, though she never acted unhappy. Kate and I were terrified. Why were they there? When confronted, Alaina denied everything. Told us everything would be fine. That was our first mistake. The suicide attempt came 5 days later. At 2am on a Saturday night, I was at a friend’s party when I got a call. Half drunk, I listened to Kate explain that Alaina tried to overdose on her anxiety medication. She was rushed to the hospital, pending psychiatric treatment. Later I found out that they found her on the bathroom floor with a blood stained note in her hand explaining how sorry she was, but it was her time. That’s when the darkness found me. Alaina was admitted to the Children’s Mental Health Ward in the local hospital. I spent every day there with her. I took time off school, put off my homework, because the only thing that mattered was her. While I was with her, I tried to give her every bit of strength that I have. However, when I wasn’t there, that left me susceptible to depression. How could I let this happen? She’s like a sister to me, and I never noticed. In her most vulnerable moment, I wasn’t there for her. I started blaming myself for everything that was happening. It was a hard month, but she finally came home in mid-April and I moved in with them because having someone always there was what she needed. I fought every battle I could. I skipped class with her when she couldn’t handle it, I gave away shifts at