Facing Mental Illness by karsyn

Facing Mental Illness by karsyn - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

My whole life I have faced struggles with anxiety and depression. Enduring these things can feel very isolating and lonely. I have learned that in facing adversity, such as anxiety and depression, an individual can feel lonely without actually ever being physically alone. These illnesses can be very hard to spot in others, especially if you haven’t experienced it yourself. There is a high rate of self inflicted harm world-wide amounting to two to four percent of people that engage in acts of self harm. This percentage of people can amount to 320 million people world-wide and 13.4 million in the United States alone. Many people that undergo mental illness can mask their outwardly emotions by keeping them concealed within oneself. This is dangerous because emotional suppression causes emotional distress and physical stress. I have personally gone through these sentiments and it is no comfortable place to be. Not only do you feel alone and sad but also the feeling, or lack of, called numbness. Numbness is the most confusing feeling and can lead to disengagement and exhaustion. Persons can feel constantly tired and have no motivation for simple, daily activities or tasks. This has lead me to view the world very differently in many ways. I now think deeply about my peers inner emotions and what they consist of based on how they act and carry themselves throughout daily life. I have assured all of my closest friends that they can come to me about anything. Although I cannot provide them with all the help they need, I can lead by example and extend a helping hand to avoid emotional suppression so that it does not become a common and normalized illness. Making the topic of mental illness open for discussion is one of my biggest goals in life.