What gives someone’s depression away? If they can act happy and hide any outward signs, then what gives them away? For me it was the moment when I just wanted it all to be over. I wanted to be happy: really truly happy again. I yearned to laugh with my friends and feel like I didnt have a care in the world. Thankfully I have a supportive family that helped me every step of the way.

Depression often co-occurs with anxiety disorders and substance abuse, with 30 percent of teens with depression also developing a substance abuse problem, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Two-thirds of those suffering from depression never seek treatment. Untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide, and suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers.

Walking down the halls of FC, I was filled with pride for my school. Seeing all these people with the word “love” written on their arms made me tear up a little. Having been a victim of the things that To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA) stands for, Oct. 7 was a bittersweet day for me.

As amazing as it was to see everyone supporting the cause, it reminded me of what got me to this point a year ago — a time when drama and stress got the best of me. But thanks to awesome friends and family, I got through it.

So, seeing all these people walking down that hallways, for this one day, all united for one cause, was amazing. Although I know that it was by no means “for me,” it was still so touching to see everyone doing this. To see all these people, not only at school, but across the world, supporting such an amazing cause. There were people from California, Washington, Oregon, and even people from the United Kingdom and Costa Rica. Seeing this one Facebook event span so far was absolutely incredible.

When I first started talking to junior Brandon Porter about this, I hadn’t really heard or known much about the whole organization. I’d seen the shirts, and seen people write love on their arms, but I did not know what it was for. But then that night when we were talking it all really clicked. I realized what exactly this whole thing was and what it stood for.

I realized that this organization is there to help people just like me: people who just get caught up in everything about life and lose control. They help people get out of these situations and help heal them.

Their mission statement says, “To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.”

Seeing all the different languages and ways that people wrote love was touching, to say the least. I completely covered both my arms in sharpie. Using as many of their slogans as possible, until I had no room left. I’m not sure if anyone else felt the same way, but seeing everyone at school, with all these different languages and slogans on their arms, was moving. I felt such, almost pride, in my school, and everyone in it.

With everyone unified for one cause, whether they really knew what it was for or not was, for lack of better word, epic. I’m not sure if everyone realized how amazing it feels for everyone out there who has gone through some of these things, that people out there care, and that there is love in the world. Whether we see it everyday or not.

For more columns, read the Oct. 12 article, Young majorette succeeds at Caruthers parade.

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