<p>I was planning on writing my essay on how my devotion to volunteering saved me from a deep depression. I’m not sure how detailed I should get, because as much as I want to paint a picture and have the reader really feel my journey, I don’t want to sound too morbid or disturb them. Currently, and ever since volunteering, I’m known by others as “the happiest, sweetest person,” so it was a huge change from depression to pure happiness and a true love and fascination with life. How should I write this or how far should I describe my depression? (depression, harm, eating disorder)</p>
<p>1) Do not mention the details of your depression such as SI and ED. Colleges are understandably concerned about the mental health of students and liability issues, as well as your ability to integrate, function and so on.</p>
<p>2) it sounds like you really have turned a corner and this is the thing you need to write about since it’s so essential to who you are. Try to write it with a total focus on how great it is now rather than how bad it was then. One way to talk about yourself without it getting awkward is to put the words in other people’s mouths. You already said that people comment on your positivity now, so maybe you can incorporate that into the essay. And even frame the difficulties of the past that way too, as in, friends were worried about you, or you were distant from previously close relationships, etc. Anything that describes your challenges without bleeding into mental health issues, and keeping that focus on what inspired the changes and who you are now.</p>
<p>Good luck! </p>