A Teen's Story

I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression when I was 13. I found out what mental health was a couple of days later by having a panic attack. After going to a therapist my mental health was getting better. Two years later my cousin passed away in a car crash. That year started off as wreck when he died in January. It was really tough that year. I struggled to keep my grades up and my anxiety/depression proceeded to get worse. I depended on someone to distract me from what was going on. My happiness only depended on them. 

I wanted to share my story with ADAA specifically because I want to help raise awareness about mental health and grief in teens. I believed that this was a good way to start. The “Tips to Manage Anxiety and Stress” website page was very helpful for me. Other personal stories on ADAA’s website also helped me in my own journey by knowing that I wasn’t alone.

Almost a year later, I'm still struggling to deal with my cousins' death and mental health issues.  But I continuously honor my cousin in any way I can, and my mental health is getting better each day.

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