(Read time: 1.5 minutes)

Are you struggling with the symptoms of depression, feeling lost and disconnected from yourself? 

Do you feel like you’re constantly battling negative emotions like fear, bitterness, resentment, hate, and blame and can’t seem to find a way to break free? 

It might be time to take a closer look at your “Persona,” or the mask that you present to the world as a way of hiding your true self.

Many of us wear this mask as a way of protecting ourselves from the judgments and opinions of others. 

But the problem is, when we suppress our true identities and operate out of a place of self-doubt and division, it can lead to depression. 

We stuff down our true selves and end up feeling lost and disconnected from our own lives. It’s no wonder that rates of depression are skyrocketing. 

Did you know that the pandemic triggered a 25% increase in depression and anxiety worldwide?

The problem is especially serious among college students and our youth… in fact, experts say we are in the middle of a youth “mental health crisis”.

But it’s not just a personal issue. 

There’s a lot of money to be made from all this suffering, and pharmaceutical companies are more than happy to provide quick-fix solutions that often come with a long list of side effects. 

But does antidepressant medication truly address the root of the problem? Is it possible that there are other, perhaps “strange forces at work” in the world contributing to the prevalence of depression?

Here’s the truth: the key to avoiding negative emotions and achieving mental well-being is to be true to ourselves and not hide behind a persona. 

It might be scary to embrace our true identities, especially if it means facing self-doubt and division within ourselves. 

But it’s worth it, because living an authentic and fulfilling life is infinitely better than living behind a mask. 

So let’s start by looking inward and getting real with ourselves. 

It’s time to ditch the persona and embrace the person we were always meant to be.