Depression and anxiety are mental health problems, but people are often afraid to admit that they are struggling with these complaints because they are ashamed or do not want to be labelled as mad. Society has also taught us that depression and anxiety are signs of weakness. This week, a sister talks about her recent struggles with what she believes is anxiety and some bouts of depression.
“I am not sure when it started and maybe I was afraid to even admit that something is not right,” she wrote. “But there were times when I would wake up with this heaviness in the pit of my stomach and I have to literally push myself to come out of bed.
“But as soon as I am out, and I get busy with the children preparing for school the feeling would disappear and return until the following morning. This continued for a while and then I started to get a sad feeling during the day, and I could not pinpoint why I was sad. As far as I knew I had no reason to be sad and you know I would start counting my blessings and wondering what was wrong with me. ‘Why are you sad?’ I would sometimes ask myself. ‘You are not sick, your children and husband are healthy, and you have a job so there is so much to be happy about,’ I would admonish myself at other times.