Hello ladies! My name is Caitlin and I'm a 21 year old college student. I'd just like to encourage anyone who needs it with my story.

So, when I started college at 18, I was bubbly, energetic, and walking laps around my campus maybe five times a day on average. I loved everything and everyone and even on my low energy days I was able to push through and meet social and educational obligations.

However, shortly after I turned 20, I started to decline. I barely noticed at first. I was just sleeping in more, skipping social events, and studying less. When I went to Japan last summer, I slept through multiple days of the trip. I thought I was just too worn out from traveling. Unfortunately I only got worse. Once school started again, I was having trouble getting out of bed to make meals for myself. Walking for thirty minutes had me laid up in bed for hours. I just kept making excuses for it; I blamed chronic stress and lack of exercise.

Eventually I decided I needed to see a doctor. My roommate and I wrote down every one of my symptoms (over twenty) to take to my doctor. Psychologists thought I couldn't be mentally ill because I was still a straight A student. However, most of my blood work came back normal. I mentioned to my doctor that my father (who likely dropped out of college because of mental illness) is being treated for Bipolar Disorder and that raised a red flag.

Since last January I've been treated for monopolar depression. My extreme physiological fatigue and weakness was due to a chemical imbalance. After playing around with SRI's, anti-depressants, and lifestyle changes, I'm finally almost back where I was when I was 18.

Ladies... This is your wake-up call. Stop thinking you can push through your symptoms all on your own. You CAN be depressed if you lead a happy life! I was in the best place I've ever been but my brain couldn't produce the chemicals needed for me to be happy! If you can afford to, please seek treatment. My SRI (seratonin re-uptake inhibitor) costs about three dollars with insurance. Get second and third opinions if you need to, but please get help and connect with your support system.

It is totally okay to go on medication and to seek therapy no matter your age, ethnicity, or religious background!! Be proud of taking any steps toward your best health <3

tldr; Sometimes mental illness is unexpected. Get out of denial and talk to a doctor about treatment if you have nebulous symptoms that interfere with your life. I'm proud of you! Keep on keeping on.

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