Teens test-drive a variety of emotions every day, and sometimes they have no idea how to ex- plain or express them. We’ve all heard (or even said) something like, “I’m so depressed! They canceled The Walking Dead!” (don’t worry; they didn’t) or “I’m so anxious about my math test!” The language of mental illness runs rampant through our casual conversations. It’s not all that surprising, though. These days it’s like everyone on earth has a microphone, and with the racket of everyone’s opinions, hyperbole seems a useful method for getting heard. The louder the noise, the less others want to listen, so the more we use exaggerations to describe how we feel and to connect with others.
But things like depression and anxiety are no exaggerations.
Click here to read or download the Parent's Guide to Anxiety and Depression.