That saying drives me crazy! You’re right…. Who chooses this?????

Depression is not a choice. It's debilitating and crippling to anyone who has to suffer. Happiness may be a choice but when you are fighting depression and anxiety everyday, it's hard to find any type of happiness. Especially when you have dealt with it for many years. You forget what happiness is and lose hope. It's a fight everyday. I have learned that when you are suffering from depression, you have to force yourself to do things. Try and find 1 thing that you enjoy doing, and then do that 1 thing. That may lead to 2 things and so on. I am still working on it. I have a long ways to go.

I always say to my partner or friends "I wish I could switch brains with you for a week and maybe you would understand".

Happiness is a choice under many other circumstances. Like having enough wealth to not have to even work. To have friends and family who support you 110% and see to all your needs. It would be difficult to choose not to be happy right. Even then. . . why would want to choose to feel depressed. Can one actually purposefully and willingly feel depressed?? It would only be an enactment. Oscar winning performance. No one would choose depression. It happens and is only understood by those who have suffered. Gees, my life is getting so short now, why would I have chosen to be depressed for the past 6 years. Oh and not show anyone . . . . just keep it a secret between me and myself. Depression IS real and it would help if others understood and accept it.

Sometimes we 'can' choose...we have the choice but sometimes, most times, we 'can't' choose. Mental Illnesses can mess with your perception of things and everything so you just can't choose. Everyone is different and sees things different even though we can connect on most things, sometimes or most times we just are not 'wired' to be ABLE to 'just choose'. It would be really awesome if we could but some of us are not ABLE to do it. That's the way it is. What might be a simple thing for some, is not the same thing or simple for others. But there is all kinds of 'help' out there that maybe we can have special moments, happy moments. Trying to be content with your life or your lot. It is what it is and all we can do is go with the flow and try not to think about making it happen, and just loosen up and try to let it happen. Some happiness is better than none at all.