Antonio Matta describes depression as a blood-sucking beast that paralyzes the mind. The WHO reports it affects over 280 million people and is the leading cause of disability worldwide, often hiding behind quiet productivity. The piece comes from Threads of Being, an anthology exploring mental illness and other struggles.
Depression is a beast, a hideous, blood-sucking, unrelenting fiend. It slashes with claws, punctures with fangs, and leaves you paralyzed under its weight. The mind, once vibrant with creativity, becomes a skull full of shadows and static. Even brushing my teeth feels like an Olympian feat. I disappear into languishing. Days blur. Hygiene fades. Hope flickers. But despite the weight, I rise. I answer phones. I write. I bathe. I push forward. Because I have to. Because the beast is loud. But I am louder.
This quote was taken from an article in my anthology, Threads of Being, a work born of sleepless nights, fragmented thoughts, and the the kind of internal conversations most people are afraid to say out loud. I'm sharing it now, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, because too many of us are battling the beast of depression in silence. And silence has never saved anyone. According to the World Health Organization, depression remains the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting over 280 million people across the globe. It doesn't always look like hopelessness. It often looks like productivity, like performance, like quiet resilience cracking beneath a smile. Threads of Being is more than a collection of words. It's a mirror for the human psyche, a record of identity lost and reclaimed. It includes unpublished poems, essays, short stories, and articles that explore the quiet corners of existence—mental illness, racism, digital isolation, sexuality, and the illusion of the American Dream. If something in today's post resonates with you, Know this: you are not alone. Help exists. Healing is real. And if nothing else, keep breathing. You can purchase Threads of Being on Amazon or wherever books that ask hard questions are sold. If you're struggling, I encourage you: reach out, talk to someone. You don't have to do this alone.
