It is becoming more and more prevalent in our daily lives; whether we or someone around us suffers, depression and anxiety are more common than we let ourselves believe. However, despite how common they are, they are still terribly misunderstood.
Being someone who suffers from both depression and anxiety, I know firsthand how frustrating it can be when they hit a little harder than normal and no one around you really knows how to handle it. So, for those of you who don't suffer, but know someone who does, here are a few tips:
1. Some days need to be spent in bed doing absolutely nothing. Sometimes we just need peace and quiet to unwind — days full of movies or reading or writing or listening to music. And unless this is happening more often than not, just let it be. There's no need to be concerned if we don't want to deal with the outside world every now and then.
2. If anxiety strikes while we're in public, please don't force us to handle it in front of everyone. Allow us to remove ourselves from whatever the situation may be so we can calm down. And if we say we need to leave, please believe us. Yes, this could sometimes mean leaving our cart full of groceries in the middle of the store because we really can't get control over it.
3. Don't be afraid to talk about it with us. Sometimes all we really need is someone to reach out and show they care. We know it can be uncomfortable to discuss, but you don't know how much it means to us. Even if you don't know what to say in response, let us get it all out. You'd be surprised how much we keep bottled up.
4. On the opposite side of that, if we say we don't want to talk, respect that. Don't be pushy. Sometimes it's better to let us sit in silence or even cry. But remember, not wanting to talk doesn't always mean we don't want you there.
5. We know we're confusing and difficult to understand at times. Please don't remind us. We feel crazy already, so you don't have to reinforce that. If we could change and not suffer from all of this we would, and if we could make it easier for you to deal with we would do that too.
6. Just love us. We want nothing more than to feel "normal" and lovable. We promise to give you all of our love and respect, despite struggling to love and respect ourselves at times.
We know it's not easy to handle us sometimes, and we know it's a learning process for you just as it has been for us. We thank you for sticking around and battling the depression and anxiety alongside us.
