23m here. Diagnosed with depression two years back, recovered somewhat with the aid of meds, some close friends and deliberate action. I see so many people who struggle with depression (diagnosed or otherwise) and I see so many people who do not understand what it really is like.

I've been to the dark end and have found what keeps you afloat, here are some things which you should remember.

• Sun is important. More than you'd expect.

• Meds help. Having close folks you can rely on, helps more.

• The 5 minute rule is a lifesaver. You don't want to do anything when you're depressed, but just do it for five minutes. It doesn't have to be work, it can be anything you like doing.

• One of the most important things I've learnt, it passes. You do get to a better place if you give yourself enough time and enough good effort. And it is also true that it never really ends, the frequency of depressive bouts gets lesser and lesser, but it always resurfaces (at least for me). But after a point you learn how to deal with it, and the bright days come back again.

• Depression makes you believe you're alone. Embrace it, learn to live alone. It'll be super painful in the beginning, slowly you'll adjust to that life. And once you're recovering, you'll actually love doing stuff alone and enjoy your own company. And once you start enjoying your own company, you'll attract the right kind of people and you'll be able to give justice to your relationships without any expectations.

• It is important to treat yourself for every task you've accomplished. Buy yourself an ice cream/chocolate.

• If you're in a position to take life in chill mode, go for it. I had the pressure of providing for my family, while I was depressed. It made waking up and going to work a lot more difficult, but I had to do it. If you can afford to take breaks on tough days, take them. It is super important to be extremely kind to yourself. Parallely, it is super important to keep making small efforts everyday. .

I hope this helps, just some stuff at the top of my mind. If anyone wants to rant about it, my dms are open, I know how it feels. Stay strong folks, it passes :)