Picture Credit to Youth Radio

Megan McKee

GJHS Reporter

During my freshman year of high school, I suffered from a traumatic experience. I experienced four concussions in just a short eight months. Ever since then I have had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a condition of persistent mental and emotional stress occurring as a result of injury or severe psychological shock, typically involving disturbance of sleep and constant vivid recall of the experience, with dulled responses to others and to the outside world.

Now, I am a sophomore in high school with anxiety and depression and no one knows. Since you cannot see that something is wrong with me, people seem to not care that I am hurting on the inside. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America says, “Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18% of the population.”

Every day I am reminded that I have anxiety and depression because I have a hard time dealing with simple everyday things. Such as, getting out of bed, going to school, talking to people, and large crowds. Little things that may not upset you, will upset me tremendously.

Again, since no one sees what I have people do not care. Do not be so quick to judge if you do not see something wrong, because it can be internal.