Walking Dead

"Run!" I barely had a second to spare before turning the corridor, grasping the doorknob to the nearest classroom.

"Please, let me in!" my fingers were slick as I pounded feverishly against the door. A dull moaning resounded in the other corridors, brought only by the horde of decaying flesh tinted in grays and jaundiced yellows that I knew were coming for me. I peered through the blood-streaked window of the classroom, before being confronted by one of the faces of the undead.

I fell back with a cry, struggling to scramble to my feet as the groans grew louder. "Get up!" I told myself, flying towards the next door. What greeted me was a huddled group I recognised as the grade below me, motioning that I move away. "Please let me in!"

The teacher stoically bolted the locks on the door and closed the lights, leaving me to stand against the famished horde alone. The ragged band of twisting torsos reached desperately towards me, teeth bared. Even with my weakened knees I bolted for the exit, my vision condensed into a surreal blur obscured by tears and sweat.

Seven blocks later, I slammed the door to my house with a shuddered sigh. I hadn't lost them, the cold, grey cadavers caught up with me by sheer determination and a remaining sense of direction. I knew exactly where the gun was and wasted no time to get it. Crouching behind the sofa with my heart barreling against my chest, one thought came with perfect clarity.

"Why not end it all?" The steel of the gun felt comfortingly cool against my temple as if it was in agreement. "No one will help me, and I'm a hopeless case. No one will notice I'm gone." There was only one choice to be made. Every decision run aground, every failed expectation, I already knew. "So why is it so hard for you to pull the trigger? Are you that pathetic?" the inner voice taunted. "It's now or never."

A dull, orange light flooded the room as the door burst open and I sprang up from the couch, hearing a brusque voice. "What's wrong with you?"

"D-dad, I-"

The figure loomed impossibly large, his eyebrows knitted together in a grimace. "How could you quit your job like that? You really are a no-good, useless loser!"

My mother stomped into the room, emptying the contents of a box onto my bed. "Your girlfriend dropped this off, she said she needed to make room for her new beau. Honestly, I think she made the better decision. I mean look at you, can't even hold down a relationship if your life depended on it!"

I closed my eyes as the undead horde swarmed into the house. A hot wrath blazed within me against thieves like these who blithely robbed their victims of things more valuable than what they took away. With a loud cry, I emptied my gun on the intruders. It chilled me that none of the bullets failed but the targets were untouched. Feeling for the handle of the baseball bat, I grasped it firmly and swung with full fury at the first corpse who launched himself at me. I hit it squarely at the neck and the severed head splattered on the wall into a maggoty clump of bone and flesh. I found new strength with this discovery. I wielded that bat like an axe, hacking head and limbs from my attackers as I inched my way to the door. My eyes flew open.

"Are you even listening?" my dad demanded.

"Dad, Mum, I'm moving out," I announced, resolve straightening my voice. Incredulity struck their faces as I continued, "That's right, I'm moving out of this deadbeat town and I'm going to the city to be an actor. Face it Dad, I'll never be a surgeon like you! And Mum, my ex is a lying tramp, I'm glad she left. You've all just been holding me back, but not this time."

"You're talking like an idiot," my dad pointed brusquely at me. "Leave this room and you'll never be allowed back, y'hear?"

The walls and floors filled with the crimson, stale blood of the corpses I dismantled, paving the way towards the exit. "Come on!" With a great shout, I held the bat horizontally with both hands and charged straight for the door, cutting everything I drove through in half.

"Come back!" my mother's voice seemed so distant behind me. Finally outside, I found an unlocked car with keys still in the ignition, floored the accelerator and drove headlong into the darkness. The future is uncertain in this deserted town and I'm not sure if I'll meet others like me, but for now, I survived.

The person to whom I dedicate this piece deserved to read this a long time ago. To my dear classmate, had I recognised the signs and written this much earlier we would be enjoying our senior year together, still with a bright future ahead. For those enduring in silence, there is someone near who is willing to listen. That someone need not be a brother. Maybe a phone call to a perfect stranger is all it takes to encourage you to reach out, and find the strength that had all along been inside you.

-Micah Prose

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How Many People Think Depression Is An Illness?

There aren't too many people who think depression is an illness. Well, if you're simply feeling the blues, there really is no need for professional treatment. You can easily cope with this feeling by perhaps diverting your attention, engaging yourself in constructive activities, getting a hobby, taking time out, going shopping, and so on. But depression is of different types, as you know, and if you're struggling with it often or when it already comes to the point when depression causes sleepless nights, eating problems, and impaired relationships, just to name a few, seeking treatment should not be delayed.

Untreated depression can reduce the quality of your life. If you don't want feeling hopeless for the rest of your life, make an appointment with a specialist at the soonest time possible. The earlier you get on in a treatment program, the better for you. It is important that you choose someone who has been specially trained to handle depressed individuals so you can be sure to receive proper counseling. There are many out there who end up feeling more hopeless rather than hopeful because of inappropriate advices supposedly from "experts". You really wouldn't want to be in this kind of situation.

If your depression is at the early stage, yet, there is every reason to be hopeful. Chances are greater that you will be able to cope with your depression without necessarily taking medications yet. Your doctor, more likely, will start you with individual therapy sessions. By doing this, your doctor allows you to be comfortable with the therapy and not feel overwhelmed. Your doctor will help you set realistic goals and accomplish them. He/she will also show you different means, constructive means, that is, of coping with various stressors that contribute to your feelings of depression.

Your doctor may also put you in group therapy sessions where you can communicate and interact with other depressed individuals. The great thing about group therapy sessions is the fact that you are around people who can understand you as they themselves are in the same situation as you are. Group sessions also become avenues for meeting new people and building your social network which may have dwindled as you become socially withdrawn because of your depression.

But whether or not you consider depression as an illness, doing the following will always work to your advantage:

Taking Anti-depression vitamins. Vitamins are not just intended to boost the immune system, apparently; they can also be used to prevent and control depression. Among these vitamins your body needs to help you combat depression and its symptoms are: Thiamine. It energizes you as it converts blood sugar to energy. It also keeps you from being anxious.Niacin. Ensuring healthy levels of Niacin keeps depression from progressing to schizophrenia or psychosis.Pantothenic Acid. It is necessary in regulating hormones and brain chemicals that control fatigue and depression.Pyridoxine. It is necessary in preventing mood swings.Folic Acid for DNA synthesis. Ascorbic Acid. Vitamin C is a natural anti-depressant; it boosts serotonin production.

· Doing meditation or yoga techniques. Meditation relaxes you and helps to create balance between your physical self and your inner self.

· Exercising. Exercising increases your energy levels.

· Making wise food choices. If you are depressed, stay away from foods that are high in sugar content. Although these can make you feel good instantly, the effects are only temporary and come with more consequences to your general health.

· Getting some sunlight. Sunlight activates the Vitamin D under the skin, and Vitamin D, studies reveal, appear to be in low levels in people suffering from depression.

You can be happy! Stop suffering from depression and anxiety. There are natural vitamins for depression and natural fish oils at BestFishOill.com.

Copyright © Alexa L. Ryan

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Depression Is Not a Sign of Weakness

There is a quote that I absolutely love: "Depression is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign that you have been strong for too long." Unfortunately, it is anonymous because I would love to give credit where credit is due especially when it is great credit like in this case.

It conveys the message that, despite the depression (and maybe even because of it), we are indeed strong; we have no reason to be ashamed because there is nothing wrong with us and our body simply needs our attention.

Our body needs attention because for too long (depression is the result of extended periods of unrelieved stress), we have pushed it beyond its limits and then we pushed it some more. After all, no one wakes up one morning and decides: "Awesome! From now on, I think I will be depressed!" We build our way up to depression. And no matter what the underlying cause (or causes) for the depression, it takes time to get there. The exceptions to that are depression due to chemical imbalances in the brain and depression experienced by individuals who are taking certain medications that are creating the symptoms of depression. In these particular cases, depression just is.

Today, we hear a lot about people being depressed due to the financial pressures everyone is feeling, the overall state of the economy and the fear of what tomorrow will bring. It could also be the result of some traumatic life event such as the death of a loved one or going through divorce or dealing with job loss or extended illness (among others).

In all these circumstances, we have a tendency to suppress our feelings, to try to put on a brave face, to continue to place others' needs before our own, to attempt to go on as if nothing was wrong, and then beating ourselves up when we failed to do everything ourselves. So is it any wonder that after pushing ourselves and our body way beyond our limits for so long your body finally says: "enough; I can't do this anymore"? At this point we no longer have a choice and we are forced to stop and reevaluate our situation.

I am a firm believer in that you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others. (Ok, I am also the first one to admit that I didn't always feel this way. I had to learn it the hard way). I am also a firm believer in the fact that our bodies were created with the power to heal themselves but we have to allow them to do just that by giving them what they need to do it.

So today, take the time to ask your body what it needs from you and then take a moment to stop and listen to the answer. Is it some time away from work? Is it a walk out in nature? Is it some quiet time for reflection? Maybe a massage? A good healthy meal? A great book? A fun get-together with friends? Some sleep maybe? Or maybe today it simply needs a little acknowledgment from you for everything it does for you every day?

And when you have your answer, go out and do it. Then see and feel how much stronger and happier you will feel. Go on! What are you waiting for?

Joumana Nasr is a Certified Life Coach and Energy Healer who specializes in helping people overcome depression naturally and holistically so that they can regain control of all areas of their life, as well as their ability and their desire to laugh. Visit http://www.preciousvictories.com/ and get your FREE report: "12 Natural and easy ways to Beat the Blues".

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