Zaira
Was
Embarassed
&
Scared
To
Talk
About
It
"It's
almost
been
4
years
and
I've
always
been
embarrassed
and
scared
to
admit
it
not
only
because
of
the
stigma
that
goes
around
with
the
word
DEPRESSION
with
it
but
most
importantly
because
of
always
being
told
that
*You're
too
young
to
be
depressed*
or
*It's
just
a
phase*"
She
Reveals
Horrifying
Details
About
Suffering
From
Depression
"Perhaps
it
could've
been
*JUST
A
PHASE*
but
this
awful
phase
has
put
me
in
situations
I
never
wished
or
chose
to
be
in.
Popping
5
antidepressants
everyday,
anxiety
attacks,
being
rushed
to
the
hospital
in
the
middle
of
the
night,
feeling
empty,
restless,
anxious,
hallucinations,
having
sore
limbs
from
sleeping
too
much
to
not
being
able
to
sleep
for
weeks,
from
overeating
to
starving
myself,
unexplained
fatigue,
body
ache,
self
loathing,
nervous
breakdowns,
suicidal
thoughts
were
all
parts
of
this
PHASE."
On
Her
First
Panic
Attack
"I
knew
that
something
wasn't
right
with
me,
I
sensed
it
could
be
DEPRESSION.
I
still
remember
my
first
panic
attack
at
the
age
of
12,
the
other
one
at
14
and
now
all
I
remember
is
losing
count
of
the
number
of
panic
attacks,
losing
counts
of
the
number
of
medicines
I've
had
and
I'm
still
having,
losing
count
of
the
number
of
times
I
have
been
told-
‘It's
nothing,
you're
too
young
to
be
depressed."
The
Myth
"I
was
always
made
to
believe
that
there's
nothing
wrong
with,
but
I
knew-
I
always
did
and
I
still
do.
I
remember
being
told
that
there's
no
such
thing
as
depression,
it
only
happens
to
people
to
were
above
25."
It
Was
Hard
For
Her
To
Digest
The
Fact
"But
I
could
never
actually
accept
the
fact
that
I
suffer
from
a
disorder
called
DEPRESSION-
that
affects
almost
350
million
people
worldwide;
without
asking
for
their
permission
to
ruin
their
mental
and
emotional
state
or
asking
them
their
age.
I
was
always
pushed
into
the
bubble
of
denial,
despite
knowing
the
reality
and
I
would
always
lie
to
myself
and
others
and
just
shake
my
head
in
yes
when
they
would
say
-
It's
nothing,
you're
too
young
to
be
depressed,
I
would
just
lie
to
myself
and
call
the
doctors
crazy.
Depression
and
anxiety
is
not
a
feeling,
it's
an
illness.
Its
not
somebody's
choice
or
fault.
It
can
affect
anyone-anytime."
It's
Been
Four
Years
"It's
almost
been
four
and
half
years
since
I've
been
diagnosed
with
depression
and
anxiety
and
today
I'm
finally
ready
to
understand
my
illness
and
embrace
the
version
of
myself
which
I've
always
wanted
to
accept,
without
being
ashamed,
embarrassed
and
having
the
fear
of
being
judged
for
it."
Zaira
On
A
Much-Needed
Break
"I
just
need
a
complete
break
from
everything,
my
social
life,
my
work,
school
and
especially
social
media.
I'm
really
looking
forward
to
the
holy
month
of
Ramadhan
as
it
may
be
the
perfect
opportunity
to
figure
things
out.
Please
remember
me
in
your
prayers
️A
big
hug
to
all
the
people
who
stood
by
me
through
all
my
emotional
ups
and
downs,
especially
my
family,
I
can
never
thank
you
enough
for
being
so
patient."