One out of every four college students suffers from some form of mental illness, including depression. Something so common among college aged students, yet so unspoken of. The stigma that surrounds mental health may seem like no big deal to some, but to those who suffer from a mental illness it's a reminder everyday that the way we feel is not "socially acceptable". Whether you're trying to or not, throwing around words like 'crazy, insane, psycho or dramatic' as a joke make us feel like we are crazy or that you actually do just think we're dramatic. And for those of you who really just do not understand what it's like, I want you to know one thing - my depression and anxiety are NOT for attention.

Depression doesn't care whether it's the middle of the day or the middle of the night, sometimes you just get sad for no reason. You could have a million reasons to be happy but no matter how hard you try, the sadness takes over and the simplest thing such as getting out of bed can feel impossible. Something as little as silence in the middle of the day can make you feel so alone. Anxiety constantly throws worries at you, every what-if situation you could possibly think of. It creates situations in your head that aren't even true but you'll worry about them anyways. Sometimes you cry for what seems like no reason at all, yet you can't stop. Realistically, these are only some of the things that someone with a mental illness may experience. Maybe it's just because I know what it's like, but I can't imagine why anyone would choose to go through all these things just to get attention. I would give anything to stop the constant anxiety and the feelings of loneliness for no reason. I don't want anyone's pity. I want someone to care because they genuinely care about me as a person.

Let's end the stigma surrounding mental health among not only college students, but everyone. I know what its like not wanting to talk about your mental health struggles or the way you're feeling for fear of seeming 'crazy'. I can't speak for everyone that deals with anxiety and depression but i'm sure most people can relate when I say nothing about what we experience is attention seeking, if anything, I'd rather not draw attention to my weaknesses.