I spent two years being the low-maintenance girlfriend. I never complained when he canceled plans, never asked for fancy dates, played video games with his friends, and never demanded a title. I thought if I showed him how "easy" I was to love, he’d choose me. For my 25th birthday, he bought me a $10 gas station gift card and took me to a drive-thru. Two months later, we broke up. Within six months, he was engaged to a woman who had strict boundaries, demanded high effort, and wouldn't settle for crumbs. That was the day I realized: being the "cool girl" doesn't make a man value you it just makes it cheap for him to use you.
Depression isn’t always sadness.
Sometimes it’s:
• Not having energy to shower or eat
• Feeling numb instead of sad
• Wanting to talk but not having the words
• Smiling so people don’t worry
• Feeling guilty for struggling
It’s heavy. And it’s misunderstood.