What Does Depression Feel Like? Savannah’s Story of Emptiness, Healing, and Hope

What does depression really feel like?

In this powerful conversation, Savannah describes her experience of depression as feeling homesick for her former self — disconnected from her joy, her loved ones, and even her own identity. She opens up about the crushing physical heaviness, the emptiness that no candle or self-care ritual could fix, and the shame that made her hide her struggles behind excuses.

With honesty and courage, Savannah shares how her husband’s support, therapy, and medical treatment helped her begin to heal. Her story is a vivid answer to the question so many ask: what does depression feel like — and how do you find hope again?

Link to full article that prompted the episode: https://savannahwall.wordpress.com/2018/12/22/when-youre-homesick-for-all-that-you-were-before-depression/

Primary Topics Covered:

• The unique way Savannah describes depression: feeling “homesick” for herself
• The physical weight of depression and why it feels both empty and heavy
• Why surface-level fixes (candles, baths, food) can’t touch clinical depression
• The shame and excuses that make people hide their struggles
• How depression feels like waiting for something that never comes
• The turning point: self-harm, her husband’s intervention, and getting help
• Counseling, medication, and faith as tools for healing
• Why holding it in has serious consequences — and the importance of speaking up
• The role of loved ones in noticing and supporting recovery

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro and framing: “homesick” as a metaphor for depression
 01:26 Savannah describes feeling far from herself and her loved ones
 03:00 Depression’s weight: heavy yet empty, like “bricks on your chest”
 04:33 Why self-care trends didn’t work in her darkest days
 05:40 The shame of hiding depression behind excuses
 07:10 Gratitude vs. depression: why being thankful doesn’t fix the emptiness
 08:32 Feeling disconnected: “like a string cut from everyone I love”
 09:19 Turning point — self-harm and her husband urging her to seek help
 10:17 How treatment slowly helped her feel lighter and hopeful again
 11:37 Recognizing depression’s warning signs vs. brushing off bad days
 12:42 Building a “toolkit” for recovery and resilience
 13:31 Writing reminders to your future self during well periods
 14:47 The danger of holding it all in and the importance of opening up
 16:15 Why depression convinces us it will last forever — and why that’s a lie
 17:21 The power of a loved one saying, “I’ll be with you every step of the way”
 18:20 Closing reflections and reminder: speak up, listen up

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