Why Live?"
Because...

Because you have an illness that makes you want to kill yourself.

Because you are not just depressed - you have depression.

Because - just like with any other illness - you must get treatment to get rid of the symptoms & the pain !!

Because you can treat depression, even cure it.

Because your life has value and can be saved.

Why can't you believe it ?
Because you have a biological brain disorder

that under-produces positive emotions
that over-produces negative emotions
poisons your thoughts
and makes you believe that you must die.

If you broke your leg, if you sprain your ankle, if you stub your toe, or step on a nail !...
You are experiencing the pain in your leg, in a part of your body.
You can sit and look at your leg, your ankle, your foot, where it hurts, down there.
At a part of your body, and say
"Ouch, my leg hurts!" - "Ouch, my foot hurts!"
But you know it - this exterior part of your body will need a doctor's to x-ray or put on a cast, crutches, ointment, or a tetanus shot and antibiotics - but it will get better.
And you are willing to suffer the pain,
treat the wound,
and expect it to heal.

The trouble with depression is that
The very pain & disorder is in your reasoning, happiness, and "will to live" mechanisms - in your heart, in your soul.
The entire experience of self and life continuum is affected.
There is no space in your head & heart for objectivity.
It's as though the pain is you.
Lost in and disabled by the pain, often we are not able to objectively seek the proper treatment as we would for our injured leg, or to persevere when a treatment fails to help.

If you had any other disease, illness, or injury
you would accept the pain
apply a treatment
fight for life
wait for healing
and expect to get well.

Just like with any illness
You may have to suffer for a while longer before you get better.

Normally, people can stand a certain amount of very bad & even excruciating pain.
whether from a physical injury, or an internal disease like cancer
from a life circumstance - loss of a job or home
or from losing a loved one through death or divorce.

But after a while, pain wears on us.
Often, normal people in constant pain for an extended length of time will begin to think of suicide even though they never thought of it before.

And that's just about where depression starts. We are already there in state of physiological injury.
Our malfunctioning biochemistry creates a constantly descending altered mental and physical state.
We are immersed in a biochemistry of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, pain & sorrow.
Our hearts are physically aching as though something horrible and terrible has happened to us.
Our negative emotions are on high and our positive, balancing emotions are very low or absent.
We may be physically incapable of creating positive thought.

If You Are Suicidal,
You Are Not Thinking Straight !
Just like when we are upset & angry with someone

Reasoning power is impaired.
We feel, think, say, and do things we often "don't mean" and are sorry for later.
In depression we are biochemically upset all the time.

It's as if a malfunctioning
part of your brain is fooling you !!

Don't Believe What You Are Thinking and Feeling !!
The Pain speaks to us
The pain is making you think and believe that you have to die.
You feel that your life is over and that depression is a terminal illness.
But you don't have to die.

Is Depression A Terminal Illness ?

Yes and No

Depression, Just like Cancer
If you don't discover it,
If you don't treat it -
It will get worse and maybe kill you.
With Depression - The longer you go untreated the more likely a suicide attempt could be.

But is depression treatable ?

Yes, highly treatable.

And new information & treatment options are coming out all the time.
Staying alive and not trying to kill yourself until your treatment works is what matters.

Remember -- while the biological core of your emotions and sanity are under attack...
Depression is a physical illness.
And it has physical, biochemical treatments
A physical, biological illness is not a character flaw or personal weakness
Somewhere in the darkness of your terrible suffering, can you know that this is only a small and temporary space in a long life and better future to come ?
If you die, you will never know the renewed and wonderful life you could have lived after your depression was over.

The Life Force Inside You -

Wants-You-To-Live.
It holds you back from attempting suicide

It causes painful conflict when suicidal thoughts compel you.
Hold onto that something; it does not want you to die.
If suicide were the right thing to do, why would it be so painful to contemplate ? Why so difficult to do it ?
The pain says STOP - turn around - go back to life - try to make it work - try to make it right.
Your life force wants you to go on, find treatment, and make a meaningful life for yourself and those you love or will love.

How do we make life meaningful ?

By correcting, changing, improving our faulty brain chemistry.
Depression is a Treatable Illness.
You have the power to stop the hurting if you reach for the help you need. "