How I Fought Depression Quietly — And How the NEMA Club Plus App Helped Me Through Every Stage

bhargavi mishra
17 hours ago
3 min read

A personal journey of healing, told by someone who thought asking for help was impossible.

I didn’t wake up one morning knowing I had depression.

For months, it felt like my emotions were slipping through my fingers — slowly, silently, without warning.

At first, I kept telling myself: “It’s just stress.” “It’s just a phase.” “I’ll be fine.”

But I wasn’t.

This is my story — how depression crept into my life, how I almost lost myself, and how the NEMA Club Plus App became the support system I didn’t know I needed.

Stage 1: The First Signs — The Things I Didn’t Notice

Depression didn’t start with tears.

It started with nothingness.

Here were my signs (which I ignored at first):

Waking up tired, no matter how much I slept
Losing interest in people I loved
Overthinking every small thing
Crying randomly, without reason
Feeling guilty for no reason
Struggling to get out of bed
Feeling empty even when I was “happy” outside
Isolating myself
Constant headaches and body aches

I felt like I was fading — quietly.

But the worst part?

I couldn’t tell anyone.

I didn’t want to scare my parents.

I didn’t want my friends to think I was “weak.”And I definitely didn’t want to explain myself over and over again.

I just wanted someone who would listen.

Stage 2: Finding the NEMA Club Plus App — My Anonymous Safe Space

One night, after crying silently for an hour, I searched: “Depression help online” and “talk to someone anonymously.”

That’s when I found the NEMA Club Plus App.

The first thing that comforted me was the word: ANONYMOUS.

No judgments. No labels. No explaining who I am.

Just someone on the other side willing to listen.

Stage 3: My First Call — The Buddy Who Listened

I used the Call-a-Buddy feature. My hands were shaking, and I almost cut the call before it connected.

But when the Buddy said, “Hi… I’m here. Take your time.”

— I broke down.

For the first time in months, I spoke without feeling embarrassed.

I talked about:

My fear of disappointing everyone
My loneliness
My anxiety attacks
My overthinking
My feeling of worthlessness

The Buddy didn’t rush me. They didn’t judge me. They didn’t tell me to “just be positive.”

They simply listened. And that was the first step of my healing.

Stage 4: Understanding Depression — With a Psychologist on NEMA Club Plus

After a few Buddy calls, I felt ready for deeper help. I booked a session with a psychologist on the app.

She explained my symptoms gently —that what I was feeling wasn’t “attention-seeking” or “weakness.” It was depression, a real condition that needs real support.

She helped me:

Identify my triggers
Build healthier routines
Manage anxiety
Challenge negative thoughts
Reduce guilt
Create a daily emotional plan

The best part?

I didn’t have to travel or sit in a clinic.

I could talk from my bed, in my pajamas, with zero judgment.

Stage 5: Women’s Health Support — Because Mental Health & Physical Health Are Connected

Something I never expected: My psychologist suggested I speak to a gynecologist because hormone fluctuations can worsen depression.

On the same app, I connected with a gynecologist and asked questions I was always too embarrassed to ask:

“Are my irregular periods normal?”
“Can PMS worsen depression?”
“Why do I feel so low before my cycle?”

She answered everything without judgment.

NEMA Club Plus wasn’t just helping my mind — it was helping my whole body heal.

Stage 6: The Healing Phase — Small Steps, Big Change

Healing wasn’t a sudden sunrise.

It was small things:

Waking up without crying
Feeling hungry again
Smiling without forcing it
Wanting to talk to people
Feeling hopeful
Sleeping through the night
Having control over my thoughts

Every time I felt overwhelmed, I opened the app.

The Buddy, the psychologists, the women’s health guidance — everything was in one place.

Slowly, I stopped feeling alone.

Final Stage: Realizing I Deserve Help — And You Do Too

Depression taught me something important:

You don’t have to be falling apart to ask for help.

You can ask the moment you feel heavy.

NEMA Club Plus became my safe space —a place where I could cry, talk, heal, and grow without anyone knowing my name.

If you’re reading this and feeling even a little like I did…Please know:

✨ You are not alone.✨ You are not weak.✨ You deserve support.✨ And help is just one tap away.

The first step is the hardest. But it’s also the most life-changing.