Hi gettingoverit Well done for continuing to be yourself despite the way the other people are treating you! You have strength you don't even realize -- many people would cave completely in the face of the ostracization you're experiencing . As the others have said here, don't lose hope that there are kindred spirits around. You'll probably find more than a few here on this site. The world is so much bigger than high school -- I hope that you learn to love yourself for who you are and find your power in the things that make you different. What's happened over the past couple of weeks to intensify the depression? Confused

Dear Gettingoverit; I know exactly how you feel! I am new here myself, but wanted to let you know that you are not alone. I am "old" now and have a teenager myself, but while I was in high school I was also considered "different" and we had moved to a little country town here in the USA. I think I was the first punk teenager this town had seen, but I did eventually find those kindred spirits that Paddy was talking about. It was a very difficult time for me though...my depression was not very well-controlled with meds at that time, and I was sick of feeling sad all the time. By posting here, you have made a very important step - you have reached out! That takes a lot of courage and I know that I would not have done that at your age, so I commend you! Please don't give up and think that things will never change. Who do you have in your life that can be supportive? I hope you post again and let us know how you are doing. Hang in there! Earthstone

Paddy, Thanks for the support! It is great to know that there are others who know what members are going through :) Josie ___________________________________ The Depression Center Support Team.

Hi! I live near Bristol, Pennsylvania, so thought I would stop by and greet you! I am presumably a lot older than you, so want to say that I understand how crummy it can feel at your age (while in secondary school) to feel out of step. People can be both wonderful and miserable! I lived through some of that, and you can too! Keep looking for the one or two kindred spirits out there. They may appear this year or next, but I bet they are there. And you will treat them well, having experienced unkind treatment. My very best wishes to you! PS My mother's grandparents came from Stoke sub Hamdon! paddy

Hi Gettingoverit, Welcome to the site! Thanks for taking the time to introduce yourself. Please don't ever worry about posting here. We are an anonymous site and members here truly understand what it is like to have depression. No one is here to judge. Come here and post anytime. We are all here to learn from one another. Feel free to roam through th site at your own pace. The Depression Center offers personalized, interactive tools that have helped thousands of people challenge and overcome their depression. If you look to the left of the screen under "PROGRAM TOOLS" you'll find our Depression Test, Session Diary, CBT Buddies and our Depression Program. The purpose of our Depression Test is to prepare you with information that you can present to your physician. When you're finished the test, you can either print your Final Report or email it directly to your doctor. Your Session Diary is your Depression Program "Control Center." Your Session Diary contains all of your tools, worksheets and results as you move through each of the 16 Sessions in the Depression Program. Our CBT Buddies and Online Support Group allows you to have some anonymous assistance when dealing with depression. The CBT Buddie and Online Support Group is offered on a 24-hour basis and allows you to communicate with others like you around the world. The core of The Depression Center is our Depression Program which is an interactive, 16-session cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)course. When using cognitive behavioral therapy, each person has unique goals in their treatment. Whatever your motivation, cognitive behavioral therapy is a very effective treatment for depression. You can use the tools whether or not you are taking medication, and whether or not you are currently seeing a therapist or mental health professional. The Depression Program has a number of tools and resources to help each individual overcome their depression and win. We hope you find the help you need within The Depression Center. If you ever have any questions or concerns regarding our site or with depression please click the "CONTACT US" link at the bottom of the page. We're open to any questions or concerns you may have. We look forward to hearing from you again soon. Take c

Hi, I'm new. I have been depressed on and off for the past few years, but its really intensified over the past couple of weeks. I live in Bristol, England, and I've never really been accepted. I geuss I've always been different. I listen to different music to other people, dress differently, and I hate it. I cant help who I am. People have always singled me out, and It really gets to me. I go to a secondary school over here and the teenagers here are horrible to me. I came here because I just need someone. People think they understand me, but they have no idea. I really hope I can find someone I can relate to on here, as I need support, and I'm just not getting it. I dont want sympathy, I just want someone to care. So, I'm new and I dont really know what I'm doing. I hope you guys dont think I'm just a whiny little 'Emo' kid. I dont want you guys to think that, too. Please, leave me a comment, I would really love it.