For people with clinical depression, their normal functioning is undermined to such an extent that both they and those who care about them are affected by it.

With depression affecting someone’s normal functioning, it makes even a simple daily routine stressful.

“Dealing with depression and anxiety affects my daily life greatly. Getting out of bed each morning is one of the hardest things that I have to do each day. Having depression and anxiety makes normal things like going out with my friends one-hundred times harder because I’m always afraid of others judging me,” said Hannah Craig, junior.

According to Craig, the biggest struggle of being diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety is learning how to deal with and handle it.

“My moods are always changing and so are my triggers,” said Craig. “Since I am no longer taking medication, I’m learning how to control [my depression and anxiety] by myself which is really hard.”

One option always available for people silently struggling with a mental illness is to reach out and ask for help. There are many ways and alternatives to speak up.

With medication, psychotherapy, or combined treatment, most youth with depression can be effectively treated. Youth are more likely to respond to treatment if they receive it early in the course of their illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

“Try talking to a close friend until you’re able to open up to your parents or a social worker at school even. But don’t keep everything bottled up. You’ll become a ticking time-bomb. I was so afraid to tell my mom about my feelings for so long, but once I finally did, I was able to get the help I needed and that’s something I’m really thankful for,” said Craig. “Remember that you’re not alone and things will get better