This story was written by one of our Talon reporters, but is being shared anonymously. We hope this discussion of one student’s experiences can raise awareness and lower the social stigma for other students dealing with mental health issues. This article is part of our participation in #TCHSAware
You’re not alone. There are people out there who love and care about you more than you even know. Your friends and family are here to support you and help you through any hard times.
I know how hard it is to open up to people about your depression and anxiety. It takes a lot of time and effort to get to know someone in a way where you can trust them. And even when you open up to them, you’re afraid they aren’t going to understand where you are coming from and how you feel on a day to day basis.
I’ve had depression and anxiety ever since my freshman year of high school. Through my four years, I’ve had my good days and my bad days. I’ve never could open up to any of my teachers to let them know what I’ve been struggling with as I balance extracurricular activities and daily schoolwork/homework. Being able to be open to people who you know will judge you and treat you differently after you tell then that you have depression and anxiety is a terrifying experience. You’re going to want to yell and scream and hide. It might make you feel better if you tell someone, it might make you feel worse. Sure, you might get treated differently but that isn’t going to change the severity of your mental health issues. Opening up to someone can help clear your mind.
Opening up to my best friend was really hard for me. I wanted to know that she would be there for me no matter what. Leading up to telling her that I have anxiety and depression, my depression and anxiety got worse. I wondered how she would react and if she would still be my best friend. It took months of me building up my courage to tell her. I broke down into tears when I told her. She accepts me for who I am.
Now, I’m not telling you that you should tell everyone about your mental health. But just know that if you need someone to talk to, friends, family and even teachers/administration are always there for you and want to see you succeed in everything you do. Finding someone that you can go to with any of your issues is something that everyone needs, struggling through mental health issues or not. We are here for you. You are not alone. You are loved and cared about.
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