Her eyes fell on the Bible on her nightstand. It had been weeks since she’d opened it. For a while she’d searched it every day, desperate to find an answer to her feelings, but now it seemed like just another failed try. Her friends from church hadn’t been much help.

Riley told her that she’d let the devil steal her joy.

Liz told her that she just needed to act like she was happy, and she’d eventually feel happy again.

And Erin suggested that she had some hidden sin that was poisoning her.

Jenna tried rebuking the devil, tried acting happy, and every day she’d confessed every sin she could think of. But the misery stayed with her. She felt like she was drowning, and no one could help her. It seemed there was nothing left.

Sometimes, as she lay awake at night, all she could think about was how easy it would be just to end it all.

It’s an Illness
It’s a sad story, but for many teen girls, it’s more than a story: it’s reality. Depression is a very real problem with effects that can severely impact life. Depressive episodes (a single time of feeling depressed) can be triggered by stress, life events (like the loss of a loved one) or physical changes. Things like low self-esteem or pessimistic tendencies can make a person more prone to depression.

Regardless of how a depressive episode starts, the sad, hopeless feelings are painful and difficult to handle. It’s very common for people who are in the grip of depression to have thoughts about suicide. As the depression continues and a person feels more hopeless, more helpless, she may feel that the only way to take away the sadness is to bring her life to an end. But there’s still hope.

If you’re feeling like Jenna, one of the most important things you can do is tell an adult. You can talk to your parents, a relative, a teacher, your school counselor or your youth pastor. Depression isn’t something you can just “snap out of.” It isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a very real illness, more like the flu than a bad attitude. And just like the flu, it can be treated. There are antidepressant medications that correct chemical imbalances and counselors who can help you deal with your feelings.

Remember to be realistic. Don’t expect to be able to do all the things you used to. For example, you used to chat with one friend online while chatting with another on the phone and listening to your favorite CD in the background. Now just thinking about doing all that at once exhausts you. That’s caused by the depression. Breaking down your activities (such as doing just one thing at a time or breaking down one big task into smaller steps) can do a lot to help you feel less overwhelmed.

Also, don’t expect to get instantly better. It’ll take time, and it may be a gradual process. Consider even the smallest steps in the right direction a victory; if you can laugh at a joke that you wouldn’t have laughed at yesterday, that means you’re getting better.

Hope for Today
One of the biggest advantages you have is the greatest power in the universe backing you up: God. He loves you more than you can imagine, and He’ll stick by your side every step of the way. You can talk to Him about anything, including how depressed you’re feeling and how hard it is. He wants you to be honest and real with Him.

When some people think about hope, they think only about heaven: the future hope of a better place. But you have hope right here with you, right now, in the form of a God who never leaves your side and will give you the strength to keep going. It may be hard to understand your situation, but hold tight to the knowledge that God loves you and will use this for good. Maybe someday, when you’re better, your story will help someone else struggling with the same problem.

How to Help a Struggling Friend
If depression isn’t a problem you’re struggling with, but Jenna sounds a lot like someone you know, there are things you can do to help. First of all, tell an adult. People who feel depressed may have trouble seeking help on their own. They may be ashamed or embarrassed by their own feelings, or they may be afraid that they won’t be taken seriously. Some may be so depressed that they don’t believe anyone can help them. You can be the one to get your friend the help she needs.

Another thing you can do is simply continue being her friend. It can be very powerful just to show her that someone loves her. Give her a reason to live in the form of a friend who genuinely cares. Don’t dispense quick-fix advice (like Jenna’s friends did) or throw cliché suggestions at her. You want to help your friend feel better as quickly as possible, but those things ring hollow to someone who’s feeling that depressed. Think about the time you felt the worst; would those things have helped you?

You may have heard of Job (his story is told in the book of Job in the Old Testament). He had a group of buddies who became famous for their incredibly bad comforting techniques. After he’d lost everything (possessions, children, health), they attacked him time and time again, claiming he had some sin in his life that had brought this misery down on him. They provide the worst example of comforting possible.

However, they also provide the best example of comforting possible. Look at the end of chapter 2. When they showed up, they wept, tore their clothes (a sign of grief) and sat with him in silence for seven whole days. In doing so, they were silently sharing in his pain. In the same way, Galatians 6:2 tells us to carry each other’s burdens. You may want to do something to cheer up your friend, but it can be amazingly effective to simply sit with her, to stay beside her and listen if she wants to talk. You can also encourage her to do things with you, like going for a walk or working on a craft project.

Depression can leave its victims feeling as if there’s no hope of life ever getting better. This illness is painful, difficult to handle and even more difficult to fight alone. But no one has to fight it by herself, because God has so much more in mind for us than depression! With His strength and love and the help of others (friends, counselors, etc.), healing can be found.

God cares about ALL of your feelings, even when you’re not happy or joyful. In fact, the Bible has a lot to say about how God comforts His children. Check out the following verses to remind you of God’s love toward those who are lowly in spirit.