By Luzeli Prieto, age 14
When I was 13, I was depressed because of family problems.
What I felt was like a pain in my mind. My stomach felt empty, but not like hunger. It was like my stomach was clenched, and it felt like if I let go of my clenched stomach, I would throw up.
There was always a specific moment when I would feel my depression hit. It was every time my mom left me alone. I distracted myself with my phone so I wouldn't feel that pain.
Ever since I was little, I was always with my mom, and when my parents divorced, I needed my mom more than ever. I didn't want to do things alone because I was scared. That's when I drowned myself in music and the shows I watched so I would feel something.
There was a time I didn't want to go to school because I thought I would throw up or faint. All I wanted was sleep and peace in my mind. I was anxious all the time and so lost that I lost my will to live, my spirit, and my joy. The things I used to love were nothing but a void.
My aunt had to come and help me find my way back to God and my passions. It was all a miracle. A month before I had depression, my aunt had quit her job, so when I had depression, she had the time to take care of me.
The things she made me do were exercise, eat healthier foods, walk, and do crafts to stimulate my mind. Her visits helped me think more clearly, to actually look up from my phone and see the things I had missed before.
Now I'm better than I have ever been before. I feel more peace in my mind. I'm not saying I don't get sad because I do get sad about certain things, but I know things are going to be okay.
It's hard to let go of the phone, but when you let go, God will be waiting to catch you and will be waiting to talk.