Depression can impact every facet of your life – emotional, relationships, self-awareness, physical, etc.

GeneSight and the Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) have partnered to launch a virtual experience meant to give you a sense of how hard it is to go about your daily life when battling a debilitating disorder like depression. Not everyone experiences depression exactly in the same way, but some of the common symptoms include lethargy, difficulty completing everyday tasks, hopelessness, helplessness, negative thoughts, isolation/loneliness, and others.

The virtual experience places the user, initially, in the bed of a depressed person. There is a list of basic things the person needs to do – get up, eat, call a friend, take medication, pick clothes up off the floor – and the user tries to complete each task. Because depression impacts energy, interest, and appetite, among other things, each task may become overwhelming for the person with depression.

If they need to stop the virtual simulation, the user can get help by clicking on the heart icon.

To access the online virtual experience, visit www.KnowMentalHealth.com.

For more information:

• To read more about the Depression Disconnect, visit our blog post or read our news release.
• More information about the Depression Disconnect Campaign can be found here at our Resources page.
• DBSA Support Groups: local groups and online groups.