My Two Friends: Depression and Anxiety

As far back as I can remember I have had social anxiety and have been emotional. Though I do not think being emotional is a bad thing, it just felt like at times my emotions were too much for me to handle by myself. And even though when I was in college I had free counseling from the school I still felt like I couldn’t fully handle my emotions with everything life through at me.

The Neil Is Not Just A River in Egypt

College is hard for everyone, but I decided to get my degree in three years instead of four. So I had the added pressure of taking seven classes each semester instead of the standard five. And throughout my college career, I was dealing with the fact that my dad had stage four lung cancer that ended up causing him to pass the first semester of my final year.

Looking back I don’t know how I survived college, but I know that if I truly accepted the fact that I need medicine to help my brain get back on track, my college days would have been even better. But it was hard to admit to myself, let alone anyone else that I was struggling with depression and anxiety.

Accepting How My Brain Works

It took an enormous amount of stress to build up before I was able to ask one of my friends to help me get back on the right track. Luckily, she helped me get to the right people and I was placed on a daily antidepressant and anti-anxiety meds when I need them.

It was while talking with friends I was able to see that I wanted to be on a level emotion field without always feeling high or low. And now I do not feel embarrassed when it comes to my mental health or talking about what works for me.

How I Live With Mental Illness

Unfortunately, we live in a world where there is a stigma with people who have any type of mental illness. So I have heard many times from people who love me that “maybe one day I won't need my medication” or “I’ll pray for you.” Your prayers are never going to make my brain work how it needs to without medication. I take daily anti-anxiety meds because I need them to function and to be the best version of myself.

If the world was a little more understanding with people who have any type of mental illness than more people would be able to get the help they need without the fear of someone finding out. But since you can’t show someone a broken bone or a bruise when it comes to your brain people just like to claim that you might have “an act of imagination” for feeling this way. Don’t let these people control what you need in your life!

In the comments down below let me know what you do to help support a loved one when they are going through a tough time with their mental illness.