DEPRESSION. Whether we’d like to admit it or not, is something that affects many of us. We would all like to either sweep it under the rug or just fix it entirely. The fact of the matter is that most people don’t take depression or anxiety seriously.

It is something that is very discouraging to realize that someone you love may be suffering from something like this. Something that makes this problem even worse is that when you realize someone is suffering from this mental illness, you may not know how to help or react.

“More than 50 percent believe major depression might result from people ‘expecting too much from life,’ and more than 40 percent believe it is the result of a lack of willpower. More than 60 percent said an effective treatment for major depression is to ‘pull yourself together,’ ” as stated on the everydayhealth.com website.

Being personally affected by this issue gives you a whole new perspective on the subject. It is an issue that everyone gets uncomfortable talking about, so it’s is not something that is brought up lightly. It is important to understand the way depression and anxiety affect the school and the people around it.

Many feel that the way to help these issues is to go straight to medication when in reality, people suffering with these issues just want someone to talk to and confide in.

“Forcing yourself to ‘just be happy’ when you are depressed is mentally and emotionally impossible. That’s like asking someone to get out of a cage without a key and then blaming them when they inevitably fail,” as stated on the themighty.com website.

Another thing no one realizes about depression is that you don’t need a reason to be depressed. Trauma may initially cause the depression to surface, but it’s the chemicals in your brain that sort of malfunction in a way. Something like a loved one passing away, losing a friend, or even just stress can trigger depression.

Something else that comes with depression is a host of many side effects. The list of effects is long, but the most common symptoms are: insomnia, sleep deprivation, anxiety, weight fluctuation, and suicidal thoughts or actions.

Anxiety is one of these symptoms that many people with depression can list. It keeps you up at night, and your small decisions all of a sudden become things that are seemingly too stressful to handle. Anxiety and depression are like the ring leaders, and they decide when you can have a good day or a day where all you want to do is curl up and be forgotten.

These issues can affect how a person functions entirely. Without sleep, you don’t run as smoothly during the day. With too much sleep, you will still wake up tired. These issues can lead to an eating disorder, because when you’re tired, your immune system either works too fast or not fast enough. This just creates a new problem to add on top of the others. This is not something to take lightly—especially when it is affecting your life.

If people don’t start understanding the early signs or that this is a serious mental disease then by the time it actually matters, it might be too late.

Taking action to help a friend or family member is amazing. But when you decide not to help someone, even a stranger, someone else’s child or friend will continue to suffer.

It’s all about helping anyone you can and not deciding that your friend with depression is more important than the kid sitting alone at lunch who is also suffering. In reality you don’t know everyone’s problems, and at first that kid may seem like they want nothing to do with you. You have to persevere, because in reality that kid may feel lost and wonder why no one can help. Be the light to show them otherwise. That way we can all enjoy our lives in and out of school.