One thing we hear about on a regular basis is how people are suffering from anxiety and panic attacks.
It doesn't matter who you are, anxiety and depression can happen to anyone, but it's nothing to be ashamed of.
We congratulate actress Kristen Bell discussing her own struggle with depression and anxiety.
She reminds us that there is absolutely no shame in asking for help.
- wanting to be well-liked: "I'm extremely codependent. I shatter a little bit when I think people don't like me. That's part of why I lead with kindness and I compensate by being very bubbly all the time because it really hurts my feelings when I know I'm not liked. And I know that's not very healthy and I fight it all the time."
- On when she first started struggling with her personal issues: "I also struggled a lot with anxiety and depression. . . . My mom sat me down when I was probably 18 and she said, 'There is a serotonin imbalance in our family line and it can often be passed from female to female.'"
- On getting help for herself: "[My mom's] a nurse and she had the wherewithal to recognize that in herself when she was feeling it and when I was 18 said, 'If you start to feel like you are twisting things around you, and you feel like there is no sunlight around you, and you are paralyzed with fear, this is what it is and here's how you can help yourself.'"
- On what her depression felt like: "I felt plagued with a negative attitude and a sense that I was permanently in the shade. I'm normally such a bubbly, positive person, and all of a sudden I stopped feeling like myself . . . For me, depression is not sadness. It's not having a bad day and needing a hug. It gave me a complete and utter sense of isolation and loneliness. Its debilitation was all-consuming, and it shut down my mental circuit board. I felt worthless, like I had nothing to offer, like I was a failure."
- On how to get past the stigma: "Talking about how you're feeling is the first step to helping yourself. Depression is a problem that actually has so many solutions. Let's work together to find those solutions for each other and cast some light on a dark situation."
Just remember, this post/video/ information is not intended to substitute informed medical advice.
