If you have depression or know someone who has depression, you know how hard it can sometimes be to get through the week. Having anxiety on top of that depression can make it even harder to accomplish tasks. Some weeks are much easier than others, but depression can leave you in a funk for long periods of time.
For those of you who haven't experienced depression, it can be hard to understand exactly what your friends or loved ones are going through. For some, it's hard to talk about such an emotional subject. How do you explain to others why it's so hard to get out of bed when you're not physically ill?
Depression is something that I've dealt with since my sophomore year of high school, though junior year is when things got particularly rough. I didn't really know what was wrong with me at that time, but things got to a point where I actually felt like people would be better off without me. I ended up hospitalized for about a week.
Some days I still really struggle with depression and anxiety. There are mornings when I wake up and I am so sad that I just want to stay in bed. I often end up oversleeping on those mornings, which just serves to send my anxiety through the roof. The anxiety sometimes becomes so overwhelming that I feel like I am drowning.
Some days, it's hard to explain to others exactly what I'm going through. I know that I can lose my temper on those days and give the impression that I'd rather not be around others. It can be hard to shake those vibes.
My husband is often the one who goes through the drive-thru if we are going out to eat. I can't explain it, but my anxiety gets high when I have to go through the drive-thru in the driver's seat. What seems like a small things to others causes me to absolutely panic.
In the long run, my depression and anxiety are fairly mild. I'm no longer on medication for either of them, but I do use essential oils in an attempt to stave off some of the symptoms. But why are depression and anxiety associated with such a negative stigma?
My hope is that some day we can have an overwhelmingly open sense of communication that helps others understand how serious depression and anxiety can be. With the increase in people experiencing both of these maladies, I think we are well on our way to acceptance and appreciation for the daily struggles those individuals face.
