Depression isn't always visible to others

Not all disabilities are visible to the eye. Depression, anxiety, panic disorder, OCD, bipolar disorder, are just a few psychological disorders that affect millions of Americans each year. Depression, in itself, controls the minds of approximately 14.8 million American adults, or about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. What's worse than facing depression yourself is watching someone you love wage the war.

The biggest misconception those without mood disorders carry is that everything can be completely fixed with medication and counseling. Having a mental disorder isn't something the individual can control. Telling someone with depression not to worry about said problem, or that the situation could always be worse isn't what one would say to a person suffering from a physical illness.

To try to put mood disorders in a light that an outsider can understand, if I oversleep for class on Monday because I tossed and turned all night due to anxieties that my mind won't allow me to forget, I wake up feeling even more distressed and depressed because I have failed at completing a simple task. It's not that I woke up and didn't want to uphold my responsibilities and act as an adult, but rather I couldn't.

Wednesday rolls around, and I'm still feeling really bad about myself for not reaching my full potential on Monday. This depression, self-loathing, and panic consumes my mind, making me feel beyond exhausted from the mental anxiety.

A person in this state of mind is so tired of the battle that the chain of events too often continues.

Next comes Friday, and the individual has planned to get his or her life back on track and truly believes today will be different. The person has missed a full week of class and additional responsibilities. Feelings of self-loathing and major depression return and take control of the mind and body. It's a constant battle with the mind.

While medication and counseling do help tremendously, the best help is support. By supporting those who suffer from mood disorders, don't say that "it could be worse," "everything is going to be alright," or "you have nothing to be sad about."

Most of the time, we (those who suffer from depression) already know this, but can't control our emotions despite this. Mood disorders are just like any other disease, and they require the same amount of awareness and support as any other disease.

Contact Sara Cameron at byline.sarabcam@gmail.com.