Our Stories

Therell’s Story of Overcoming Anxiety and Depression Using Coping Skills

What have you struggled with? When did it become too much?

I have struggled with depression and anxiety since I was a kid. I have also struggled to make and maintain friendships, and friendships are something I want more than anything.

I would say it became too much when I was in 6th grade. That is when I shared with the school nurse that I wanted to end my life and I was hospitalized as a result.

What kind of support did you get at first? Did it work?

Throughout my life, I’ve seen many therapists, and the majority of them were not the right fit. Therapy recently ended with someone who was the right fit, and over the course of four years, she taught me more coping strategies to use when I’m feeling down in the dumps.

Were there any turning points where things really started to change for the better?

While the depression and anxiety are still there, I would say things started to get slightly better in my senior year of high school. In my senior year of high school, I took a photography class that I really enjoyed and now photography is a hobby of mine. I also took a creative writing class, and that class has had a huge impact on my life. In that class, we would write poems and such, and I developed a big love for writing.

What’s your life like now? What have you been able to accomplish, and what are you working towards?

In my life now, I am still suffering from depression and anxiety, but I am actively receiving help from multiple support systems to combat them.

As mentioned above, I have developed a love for writing. This love for writing has helped me create a plethora of poems, stories, lyrics, etc. I have even used these lyrics to create actual songs with the help of a professional recording studio. I would say this is one of my biggest accomplishments. Many years ago, I never would have thought that I’d be at a point where I was creating professional songs. Writing and creating these songs has become a big part of my life now, and I’m hoping to make it big in the music industry one day.

Another huge accomplishment in my life is graduating high school. I was so ecstatic to finally leave and I would say my graduation day was one of the best days of my life. Now I am in college and it has been a much better school experience for me.

What would you say to people who are having a tough time? What’s helped you that you wish you had known earlier

The first thing I would say to people who are having a tough time is that you are not alone. We are all in this together. I would also say to find some hobbies of things that you are interested in and to participate in those hobbies.

What’s helped me a little bit is what I mentioned above, finding hobbies. Not only do I do photography and write, but I also exercise and I have a few YouTube channels that I create content on. These four hobbies of mine have helped me stay afloat during some of the most difficult times in my life.