National Anxiety And Depression Awareness Week (May 2nd–8th, 2016)

There is something that people might not know about me and that is I have anxiety when it comes to certain things.When I was in my senior year, some tests in Ecology, I took in a different room because of the anxiety of not doing my best because I would see others finishing their tests at a faster pace than me and being one of the last ones to finish the test.

I wasn't taught how to drive that much,only a few times (by an older brother and my ex-fiance) but that isn't the reason why I don't know how to drive/have my license. Anxiety is a big thing that gets in the way of me learning how to drive.  Whenever I think about learning how to drive, I get nervous. I'm nervous that I'm going to get into a crash or when turning I'm nervous that I'm going to turn into the wrong lane and then again, get into a crash.

One of my goals this summer is to learn how to drive and prove it to myself that I can overcome my anxiety and achieve my goal. Wish me luck!!

Facts about anxiety and Depression:

• 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 (Anxiety And Depression Association Of America, 2014).
• Anxiety disorders develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events(Anxiety And Depression Association Of America, 2014).
• Major depression is a treatable illness that affects the way a person thinks, feels, behaves, and functions. At any point in time, 3 to 5 percent of people suffer from major depression; the lifetime risk is about 17 percent (Anxiety And Depression Association Of America, 2015).
• It is not uncommon for someone with an anxiety disorder to also suffer from depression or vice versa. Nearly one-half of those diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder (Anxiety And Depression Association Of America, 2015).

References:

Anxiety And Depression Association Of America. (2014). Facts & Statistics. Retrieved May 08, 2016, from http://www.adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics

Anxiety And Depression Association Of America. (2015). Depression. Retrieved May 08, 2016, from http://www.adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/depression

<3 Amanda