Depression and anxiety are not considered "chronic diseases," but they should be. Just like any other chronic disease (i.e cardiovascular, obesity, type two diabetes), depression and anxiety have the potential to end in death, and they should be treated accordingly. Many people have the misconception that if someone suffers from depression or anxiety, they can control the way the think or feel. Those who suffer from these two mental illnesses cannot just snap out of them. The lack of understanding as to what the illnesses entail contribute to the fact that in 2016, this year, suicide-related deaths reached their highest level in nearly 30 years.
Like most chronic diseases, depression and anxiety interfere with everyday life and normal functioning. For some people, the feelings of worthlessness and emptiness are present all the time. For others, those feelings come and go. Those who suffer from depression are portrayed by some as looking tired and worn, moping around, and even self-harming. While some people suffering from depression can be described from this portrayal, others cannot. Sometimes, the person who has the most fun laughs the loudest and is the kindest to others is the one suffering. You just never know.
These two mental illnesses are so hard to be open about. I, myself, struggle with depression and mild anxiety and I remember being so afraid of coming out and asking for help. I was scared to be stigmatized as "the girl who wants to kill herself" or "the crazy person." I was also ashamed of how I was feeling. Growing up, I had everything I ever wanted; I had people surrounding me that would do anything I asked of them. There was no reason for me to be depressed, I just was. I was scared that if I mentioned something to my parents, they'd feel like it was something they were doing wrong and it wasn't. Imagine you're in a room filled with people where everyone's talking to each other. Depression and anxiety, to me, is like you're in that same room with all those people, but at the same time you're alone. Nobody's talking to you but they're all talking about you. After a while, you start to avoid doing normal, everyday things because of the constant thoughts that are inside your head. Anyone who truly believes that those with depression and anxiety choose to feel that way, to constantly think badly of themselves, to believe that the only way those thoughts in their head will end is if they were dead, have no clue what it's like and how much of a toll it takes on a person.
I'm sure everyone has heard of or has known someone who ended their life by committing suicide. Often times I hear people say that suicide is "selfish." Their reasoning behind it is that the person didn't think about how their death would affect other people. What people don't understand is that most people commit suicide because they just want their thoughts in their head or their problems to just go away. Most people don't want to die. They feel like that's the only option. The stigma and lack of attention and awareness towards mental illness don't allow them to have a proper outlet to reach out for help. Sometimes we hear of someone ending their life through suicide and our first response is "I didn't even know he/she felt that way". Depression is like that. You truly just don't know what a person is going through, a lot of people are good at acting like nothing is wrong when really everything is.
There needs to be more awareness for mental illnesses and suicide. These things are terribly overlooked in society. They're stigmatized to a point where those who are suffering are afraid to seek help which leads them to believe that suicide is the only way it will end. Everyone's story deserves to be told. Everyone deserves to feel like their life matters.
If you or someone you know suffers from depression and are thinking about suicide, PLEASE call this number. You deserve treatment, you deserve a way out.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-8255
