Depression and anxiety are such scary words. Either people don't want to speak those words because they're too serious or people use them as jokes. You hear everyone say they're anxious about tests or depressed after a bad day. That isn't what depression and anxiety really are, they're deeper and more powerful.

For me, my depression and anxiety affect every day of my life and everything I do, it isn't always negative, though. Sometimes my anxiety keeps me from doing stupid things and gets me to study for class and get up on time. Other days my depression wants me to sleep all day because why would I ever get out of bed?

Anxiety is technically a good thing in most cases. It is your bodies fight or flight response to stimulus around you, and it's great if it works properly. However, in me, it's working overtime. I always have to fight against being shaky and stressed. My brain works over time, always overthinking and just setting off anxious alarms in my body for no reason. I'll be in class and all of a sudden a big heavy feeling holds down my chest, I start to sweat, I get more conscious of my movements and shake all over. My body just wants to run as far away as possible from wherever I am.

My depression is a whole other beast of burden. Some days it's dormant, it just lies inside me throwing out occasionally shouts that I can suppress. It says I'm a horrible child and that I'll never be good enough and sometimes it's just fleeting and doesn't bother me. Other days it eats me alive, all day I will give in to what my depression tells me and just let myself rot. I need to stay in bed and sleep until something forces me to get up. I won't eat or I'll be so hungry nothing can satisfy me. I may check my phone but I won't have enough energy to reply. My body gets weak and just gives up like my mind.

While medications work sometimes being anxious and depressed is hard. If you know someone that isn't acting like themselves or you think is dealing with any of this, try and help. Be the friend you would want, ask if they need something or if they want to talk. Show them resources like therapists or doctors around you. Show them they're loved.

Remember everyone feels different even if you think that they're fine or have no reason to be upset. Caring goes a long way.