The amount of times I've heard people say "Anxiety and Depression aren't real" or "You're just sad, get over it" is insane. The stigma against mental illness isn't just sad, it's dangerous. When I was 16, I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Clinical Depression. These things can often be, and in my case are, genetic. Depression, scientifically, is when your brain is not getting enough Serotonin, it is not just being sad and mopey all the time. GAD does not have an exact known cause, it is thought to be genetic or caused by stressful events. GAD is also not a cute quirk that you use as an excuse when you don't want to do something. Mental disorders are not adjectives. GAD especially, is gradual and almost sneaks up on you. When I was 16, I never realized I might actually have an illness. I just thought constant worrying about any little thing was just how I was.
Turns out, most people don't realize they could have an illness. GAD effects the everyday lives of over 6 million Americans. However, that number may be higher because people don't like to admit they have a problem. People don't want to be put on medication so they don't have panic attacks because of what others might say. Many people don't want others to know that they think about suicide or aren't happy with their lives. People don't want to explain why they don't want to go out and would rather stay inside by themselves. This is because society has taught us that having a mental illness is bad. That we should be ashamed that a chemical in our brain decided to not properly work.
We are taught that we need to be perfect and that mental illnesses aren't important, even though each year over 40,000 Americans commit suicide, including a freshman from my school that committed last week. Or a kid from my high school that didn't make it to graduation. These mental illnesses are often silent killers. There is no way to tell that the person sitting next to you on the bus is battling depression or PTSD or has severe anxiety.
The point of this article isn't to scare anyone or convince anyone of anything. I'm also not using this article to whine about my personal experience. The point of this article is to make people think. There is such a stigma around mental illness, where if people could be okay with talking about it, it could maybe save a life. You never know what someone else is going through. Now I don't mean just walk up to someone and advertise that you have anxiety, but if you're uncomfortable in a situation, you should be able to tell your friend that you're anxious and not get a "oh you're just nervous, get over it" in response. I just want people to take mental illness as seriously as something like the flu or whatever. Just because you can't see it does not mean it isn't there.
It's 2016, it's time to end the stigma and know that it's okay to ask for help.
