On college campuses, there is unfortunately a huge epidemic of stress and anxiety. With so much pressure academically and socially, it’s easy to understand why. But there’s still the stigma of mental health and all of the issues that it comes with in college. Now more than ever though, people are taking prescribed antidepressants.
Since they first came about, there has been this stigma about antidepressants and why they’re bad for us. People say that “A pill can’t fix your mental problems.” There’s also the wide misconception that antidepressants will do negative things to you such as make you tired all the time, and that they’re only prescribed for “crazy” people. That couldn’t be further from the truth. There are thousands of college students taking antidepressants, and it’s making a huge difference in their lives. People don’t realize that it’s average, everyday people taking these pills.
When I came to college, I can fully admit that I was not in a good place. I was nervous constantly about everything, from not making friends to not doing well in my classes. I wasn’t even sleeping most nights. I had a problem with anxiety for awhile, but I was too afraid to take antidepressants because of things that I had heard from many people. I was afraid I would be judged.
However, since I began taking them, my life has taken a turn for the better. Sure, I still get anxious every now and then, but it no longer consumes my life to the point where I feel it’s difficult to function. Counseling is a huge help for many people too, and that should also be a primary way to get help.
I’m not afraid of antidepressants anymore, or ashamed that I take them. I’m still the same person that I was before, and just like everyone else. It’s time to end the stereotype of taking antidepressants once and for all.