Testimonies
People experience mental health challenges in many different ways. It’s important to know that what someone experienced might not be what you experienced. Below you can find some anonymous testimonies from people who have dealt with mental health challenges
Adhd
For years I thought I was lazy. Teachers said I was smart but ‘didn’t apply myself.’ I couldn’t explain that my brain felt like thirty browser tabs open and music blasting from none of them. Getting diagnosed with ADHD didn’t magically fix everything, but it finally gave me a map of the place I’d been living in my whole life
I used to joke that my brain was a junk drawer, but the truth is it stressed me out constantly. I’d sit down to do homework and instantly remember twelve unrelated things I ‘needed’ to do right that second. By the time I circled back to the homework, an hour had evaporated. I wasn’t failing because I didn’t care; I was failing because I couldn’t keep my thoughts in one place. When a doctor finally said ‘ADHD,’ it felt like someone handed me the instruction manual to my own brain. I’m still learning how to use it, but at least I’m not blaming myself anymore.
Depression
I kept expecting depression to show up like a movie scene—crying, dramatic breakdowns, big moments. Mine arrived quietly. I stopped caring about things I used to love, like drawing and hanging out after school. Every morning felt like trying to walk through syrup. I didn’t cry; I just felt… blank. When I finally told a counselor, it surprised me how much lighter things felt just having someone say, ‘This matters, and you deserve help.’
I was the friend everyone leaned on. I handled crises, drove people places, remembered birthdays. Meanwhile, I’d go home and lie in bed staring at the ceiling because I couldn’t make myself do the simplest stuff—laundry, cooking, even texting back. I felt guilty all the time, like I was disappointing everyone without them knowing it. Therapy didn’t make the sadness vanish, but it gave me tools. And with tools, the weight became something I could finally start to lift.
Anxiety
My brain loves worst-case scenarios. If I send a text and someone doesn’t answer right away, I convince myself I messed up. If I have a small mistake at work, I replay it fifty times. It’s exhausting. For years I thought I was just being careful, but it was really anxiety running the show. Talking to a therapist helped me learn to slow down the spiral, like hitting pause on a runaway movie. The worry still pops up, but it doesn’t control the narrative anymore.
I used to think I was just a perfectionist, but really I was terrified of messing up. Every assignment, every conversation, every tiny decision felt like it had to be flawless or everything would fall apart. My friends thought I was just ‘really motivated,’ but they didn’t see the nights I couldn’t sleep because I kept replaying the smallest mistake. When I finally talked to a counselor, she explained that anxiety can wear a disguise made of good grades and neat notes. Once I understood that, it became easier to separate who I am from what the anxiety tells me. I’m still learning, but the pressure isn’t suffocating anymore.