By Kathleen McAleese
Features Editor

This is the third in a series on depression and anxiety.

Depression and anxiety are conditions countless students at Westford Academy deal with on a daily basis. They are not as palpable, and not as tangible as other illnesses can be. Depression and anxiety are conditions that their victims struggle with for most of their lives sometimes but are usually misunderstood.

WA Graduate of the class of 2007, Caroline Hanly, knows about depression and anxiety all too well, having been diagnosed in her freshman year of high school. Hanly is still in treatment as a grad student at twenty-three years of age.

“Depression is not a feeling, a bad day, or a ploy for attention,” said Hanly.

Many people suffering from mental illnesses worry about being judged and this proved to be a daily challenge for Hanly, as she worried about others seeing her as being “over-dramatic.”

Therapy has been something that proved to be helpful for Hanly; simply having someone to sit down and talk to is beneficial. Still going to therapy once a week allows Hanly a place for her to vent her feelings in a safe, confidential environment. Seeing a therapist weekly and on medication, Hanly expects she will need treatment for the rest of her life, but she is now in a place where she is able to cope with her illness.

With treatment, she is able to manage her symptoms and is able to get back to a happy place that she has experienced before.

“Even when it seems like things will never get better, they can,” said Hanly.

Hanly, through her experiences with depression and anxiety, has been changed. Gaining empathy and true friends, she has been forever altered by her experiences.

“I definitely value happiness more than I would if I didn’t go through those overwhelming low points,” said Hanly.

Having gone through so much, she has learned how to cope with her emotions in a positive way, and has gained valuable skills and tools to manage all symptoms of both her anxiety and depression.

Stressing the value of a strong support system, Hanly has gotten by with much help from her parents and friends.

“Friendship isn’t always about laughing and having a good time, it’s also about sticking by people and supporting them when they are having a hard time,” said Hanly.

The best thing for a friend to do is to be a supportive listener, according to Hanly. Advice from a friend in high school has stuck with her for the past few years: “I don’t know how you feel, I don’t know what’s going through your head but I do know that it sucks and I am always here for you to talk.”

With a strong support system, Hanly is able to focus on what she knows she is able to regain again, happiness.

“[My family] always provided me support, despite how much it was hurting them to see me like that,” said Hanly. “Depression definitely affects the entire family, and I’m grateful that mine stuck by me.”