If you were to ask someone with depression how they feel, it's impossible for them to give you a one word reply.

Depression literally affects every aspect of one's life.

But one mother was able to sum up her battle with the mental health disorder in just one picture - and a lot of people can relate.

Brittany Ernsperger, who writes for The Relatable Mom, isn't afraid to talk about living with depression.

Her recent Facebook post, titled "This is what depression looks like," garnered more than 170,000 shares and 140,000 likes.

"I'm not looking for sympathy, not in the slightest"

In the heartfelt post, Brittany starts off by saying that depression is "not the clean dishes, but that there were many dishes in the first place."

She wrote that she had gone two weeks without doing them.

This is how those days leading up to her finally washing the dishes went:

"Three days ago I sat on the kitchen floor and stared at them while I cried. I knew they needed to be done. I wanted to do them so bad. But depression pulled me under. It sucked me in. Like a black hole. Rapidly, sinking quick-sand.

I walked by them morning and night and all day long. And just looked at them. Telling myself that I could do them. Telling myself that I would. And feeling defeated everyday that I didn't. Making the depression only that much worse because not accomplishing something that needs to be done is failure."

The mother of one said that she felt "worthless, a failure, incompetent, and lazy."

"[These are] all things that roll through the mind of someone with depression. All. Day. Long."

But it's not only depression that has affected her life, anxiety has too.

"Being scared your husband will leave because he thinks you're lazy. Being scared to let people into your home because they'll think you're nasty. Feeling like you're failing your kids because for the third night in a row you don't have any clean dishes to cook dinner on.. so pizza it is. Again."

Anyone who looks at the picture of all the cleaned dishes knows that there's more to the story. Brittany also touches on that:

"[T]he worst part of it all, it's not just with the dishes. The laundry, cleaning, dressing yourself, taking a shower, dressing your kids, brushing your and their teeth, normal everyday tasks. It all becomes a nightmare. A very daunting task. Somedays it doesn't get done at all."

Brittany said that her post isn't meant to draw sympathy, but to spread awareness.

"Depression is something that "strong" people don't talk about because they don't want people to think they're "weak". You're not weak. You've been strong for so long and through so many things, that your body needs a break."

After Brittany's post went viral, she was surprised by all the responses she got.

"I wasn't expecting this to get as much love as it has gotten," she edited her post. "Ladies, if you're feeling this way, send me a friend request. I'll do my best to help you or get you the help you need. We'll figure it out together. We can only help one another by lifting each other up. I'm here for you."

Reactions

Hundreds of people commented on the post, assuring Brittany that "You are not alone."

"This rang so true. I made a post a day prior to seeing this, and it brought peace, and sadness, knowing I'm not alone," wrote one user.

"I can relate so badly past month or so. Have gone days without getting dressed," wrote another.

One Facebook user shared how she found the light at the end of her tunnel:

"I conquered depression. My doctor would always tell my fight it by getting up and go out in the sunshine and do something ... What ever your biggest fear is face that fear. Get up and do it. Don't lay in bed and give into your depression. You can do this, give it to God!!!"

Can you relate to Brittany's viral post? Share her story to raise awareness about depression and anxiety.

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