I’ve been battling both depression and anxiety since I was 15. At first, I was ashamed to even be diagnosed with depression. I was afraid people would think I was weird and not want to talk to me. I was afraid I would get the ignorant questions such as “why do you think you’re so special?” and “I’m just as moody, but it’s just what comes with being a teen.” Because of this, I stayed silent. I refused to talk to anybody and kept my struggle to myself. After a while, I became less ashamed of what was happening to me and opened up to my parents and finally got the help I needed. I saw a doctor who diagnosed me with what I thought was wrong. I was just scared to be labeled. I was afraid to tell anyone what was wrong with me (except those close to me) and just made up excuses like I was super tired or not feeling well. That is, until a year later when I realized that there is nothing to be ashamed of. Being “depressed” isn’t a flaw and it definitely isn’t something anyone can deal with alone.
Although I am not ashamed to say I live with depression on a daily basis and I am not ashamed to tell my story, I don’t think it matters here. What matters is that there are people out there struggling with depression who are scared to get help. We’ve seen on many occasion’s people who seem to live a happy, successful life are actually struggling with inner demons and people don’t know until it’s too late.
Statistically, on a college campus almost 30% of students report feeling depressed to a point where they cannot function. With the proper care, students can live a normal life even when diagnosed with depression. There will be off days where you feel like doing absolutely nothing but laying in bed. That’s okay once in a while. But if it continues for weeks or months on end, and it’s not just stress from essays, assignments or exams, it is possible there is a bigger issue.
If you ever feel like you can’t handle whatever is going on alone, there are people there to help. The following two options are always open:
Talk to someone
Although it may seem like there is no one out there that understands, sometimes just calling home or talking to someone you trust about anything can make your day better. It doesn’t have to be your parents; it can be a friend, family member or even your teacher. Usually when you have someone there that’s willing to listen, it shows you that people are on your side.
Go to the Health Center
At most schools there are programs put in place to help people who need mental health help. At AU in particular, students can meet with a clinician to discuss the issue you are having and you work together to help solve the problem. Sometimes the answer is as simple as counseling but there are other options such as on-campus programs and groups available to help. If need be, the clinicians can refer students to an outside psychiatrist or to other specialized services, but unfortunately these outside services are the student’s financial responsibility.
If you don’t know whether or not you should reach out to someone for mental health help, AU has a free, online anonymous screening that can help give you an idea if you may have some form of mental illness and if it suggest you might, it will guide you in the right direction for help.
If you, or anyone you know, are feeling suicidal, please get help. The first thing to remember is it will be okay. If you need to talk to someone anonymously, call the suicide prevention lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK. They have trained counselors available to talk 24/7.
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