A New Trend: Depression & Anxiety

Everyone wants to be depressed and have anxiety. Teens are now glorifying depression by calling it names such as “beautiful suffering” and they don't seem to understand that this is not beautiful suffering! This is a life-threatening illness; depression is not a trend.

Depression is long term sadness with so many strings attached. It is not sad quotes and carving pictures into your skin. It's not being able to leave your bed because you're lazy. It's trying to leave your bed but can't because your body feels so heavy. It's standing in front of your house door trying to force yourself to leave because you haven't left your house in a week. It's those thoughts in the back of your head reminding you that you are not good enough and never will be.

Depression usually brings a friend when he visits and they both overstay their welcome. Anxiety is a constant worry, weighing you down. Anxiety prevents you from performing daily activities or tasks.

As an adolescent who suffers from severe anxiety, let me tell you this. It is not fun. Most kids my age hate going to school, and don't get me wrong, so do I, but for different reasons... They hate going to school because it's 'boring,' but they don't mind going because they have friends. I hate going to school because there are so many people there. You never know what's going to happen.

Anxiety doesn't just follow you to school, it follows you to the mall, your favorite pizza spot, and even the park. Anxiety is that devil on your shoulder, but no matter how many times you flick him off, he still finds a way to crawl back up.

Everyone wants to have anxiety until they actually have it. Imagine this: you've been planning to go to the movies with your friends for the last month, but instead of feeling excited for that day to come, you're scared. When that day finally comes, you don't go. You make up a lie, like you're babysitting your brother, and once you cancel a sense of relief washes over your body. It's not because you didn't want to go, because at first, you did. But the fear of not knowing what will come scares you.

What if someone asks me a question and I can't answer it? What if I can't start up a conversation? Then there will be minute's worth of awkward silence, and when there is awkward silence you overthink, you sweat. They probably don't like me anyway, and are happy that I'm not coming. They feel bad for me. They're pretending to be my friends. A million thoughts will swim in your head, and the only way you discovered to drown them is by canceling your plans. On a good day, you decide to follow through with your plans for once, you completely regret it the moment you are face to face with your fellow peers.

You plan everything that you say before you say it and shove your hands in your pockets when they begin to shake. You laugh although what they said wasn't funny and smile at the thought of finally being able to go home.

Does having anxiety still sound fun to you? Overanalyzing everything you see or hear to a point where you feel sick to your stomach? Not being able to do 'normal' things frustrates you to a point where you blame yourself sound fun? Does sleeping through the first snowball fight of the year excite you?

Depression and anxiety are not phases that will end in a month; they stay as long as they want. Even when you want them to leave, they don't. They affect your emotions, thoughts, and your overall mind. They affect your ability to live to the fullest, so no. Anxiety is not a trend. Depression is not a trend. If you want to be a part of a cool trend, try wearing rainbow highlight on your cheekbones... I think thats nice.

Don't support a mental illness... Support recovery.