Mental Health-You Are Not Alone

`The Creation of This Website`

Mental health is the thing that no one is willing to talk about. Although more people are speaking out, many people are still unaware of the effects that it plays on society. Children are taught from a young age to hide their problems. According to the National Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 80 percent of kids struggling with anxiety have not received treatment. Is this the world that we want to live in? As the news is filled with devastating and tragic events and it seems like our world is not improving in terms of warfare and violence, is it the best thing to keep our emotions hidden inside until they explode? I created this website in the hopes that someone who is struggling stumbles across this and finds comfort in the fact that they are NOT ALONE. This website focuses on a variety of mental illnesses and their causes, symptoms, and treatments, as well as links to websites for additional information.

Anxiety

One of the most common mental illnesses is anxiety. Chances are, there is someone suffering with it in your class/workplace right now. Everyone suffers from anxiety differently. For some, it does not particularly interfere with their lifestyle. But for others, it can be crippling. It can cause exhaustion, inability to concentrate, uncontrolled worry, and much more.

Panic Attacks

A common symptom of anxiety is panic attacks. According to the Mayo Clinic, “a panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause.” Symptoms include increased heart rate, sweating, shaking, nausea, dizziness, and much more. They are often confused for heart attacks—although they may feel like it, they are not. Although in movies, panic attacks appear to be exaggerated, to someone who has experienced one the interpretations are actually quite accurate. Panic attacks can occur infrequently for some, but for others they are an everyday occurrence. Genetics, hormones, and traumatic events can play a huge role in developing anxiety. For someone who has not experienced an anxiety attack in their lifetime, they have no idea the struggle that people are faced with every day. The feeing that they need to get out now. A panic attack is actually a fight-or-flight reaction, so the need to get out of a place or situation is actually quite common.

Parents can be very understanding about anxiety, but they often think that their kid is lying to get out of something. Not being understood, and accused of lying for something that they can’t control, can be the worst part of having anxiety.

Whenever I see a commercial about anxiety, I immediately think, I wish they would watch this and just understand for once! I’ll link a good commercial here:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PLQgKXAJ650

Here are some good anxiety websites as well:

https://hellogiggles.com/lifestyle/7-things-people-anxiety-want-loved-ones-know/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961

https://www.anxiety.org/what-is-anxiety

Anxiety FAQs

(My personal opinions on frequently asked questions about anxiety)

I think I have anxiety. What do I do?

The first step is to tell someone that you trust that you think you may have anxiety. Research the symptoms that you are feeling (or look above for common anxiety symptoms). Anxiety can be self-diagnosed, but it is best to go to a doctor for a second opinion. Doctors have written quizzes that can tell you how severe your anxiety is. If you would prefer not to go to a doctor, here is a quiz by Dr. Oz that is similar to the ones that doctors use: https://www.doctoroz.com/article/anxiety-test-what-it-means-and-what-you-can-do-cope

Now that I have been diagnosed with anxiety, what can I do?

There are multiple options when it comes to what to do about your anxiety. You can leave it untreated, as many people do, or take steps to feel better. One option is therapy, also known as psychotherapy. This involves talking to a licensed therapist, who will help you determine what triggers your anxiety and how to cope with it. If you are the type of person who feels better when talking out their problems, I greatly recommend therapy. However, if therapy is out of the question or you’re not comfortable with it, medication is another option.

Is medication a good option for anxiety?

Medication is definitely a good option for those who are unable to cope with their anxiety on an everyday basis. It is generally easy to get medicine for anxiety; when you go to your doctor, they generally give you an anxiety/depression test (similar to the one linked above). If you test to a certain level, anxiety medicine will most likely be prescribed.

What medicines are prescribed for anxiety?

Prozac, ZoLoft, Paxil, Celexa, and Lexapro are typically prescribed for anxiety. However, how strong the medicine is depends on the extent of your anxiety (and how it affects your daily life).

Am I too young to have anxiety?

Despite whatever you’ve heard, there is no set age that anxiety affects. Although teenagers are the majority, anyone can have anxiety. Although it’s uncommon, people can develop it at a very young age. Separation anxiety is common among young children, however. Anxiety typically affects women and teenagers.

Are there different types of anxiety?

Yes, there are multiple types of anxiety, including OCD, panic disorder, PTSD, social anxiety disorder, and many others.

Depression

In May 2018, Everyday Health declared that the number of diagnoses of depression in America from 2013-2016 soared to over 9 million—and that’s not counting whether it has grown since then. Although teens are the main group that is affected by depression, anyone is at risk. Depression can be occur constantly, but some experience episodes of it. Symptoms of depression are quite similar to anxiety and are frequently confused. According to the Mayo Clinic, “depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and lost of interest...it affects how you feel, think, and behave...You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn’t worth living.” Symptoms include a depressed mood, irritability, sleep problems, lack of energy, anxiety, feeling worthless, angriness, loss of interest, increased cravings or loss of appetite, trouble concentrating, and more. Although anxiety seems quite different than depression, many symptoms are the same.