October is Anxiety and Depression Awareness month. To highlight the effect both depression and anxiety can have on young people’s lives beyondblue has created a series of fictional video blogs about young people experiencing depression and anxiety. They can be viewed on YouTube.
The blogs were inspired by real stories posted on the Youthbeyondblue online forum, Share our Story. The blogs feature three characters Ryan, Laura and Kate. Each of their stories is told over a number of episodes.
Ryan’s experience:
Ryan’s a fairly normal 21 year old guy. He’s in second year at uni, still living at home, hanging out with his mates on the weekend. Ever since he broke up with his girlfriend, Amanda, he’s been feeling really down.
That probably seems normal but for Ryan, things seem to be getting out of control. He’s miserable, stuffing up at uni, not sleeping and can’t be bothered doing anything. He just can’t seem to shake the sad feeling.
Luckily his sister persuades him to go to a psychologist who tells him he has depression. Ryan makes this video diary as part of his therapy. You should see how different he is in the last diary entry – once he starts to recover!
To check out video log go to YouTube.
Other video logs to be added include:
- Laura struggles with anxiety, but recovers with the help of a psychologist.
- Kate’s school counsellor helps her deal with being bullied at school.
Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha
Source: youthbeyondblue
I have also found a video diary has helped me. Its interesting to go back a few weeks and see how your opinion of a situation has changed (a few weeks later I find the situation is really no big deal).
It also helps to verbalise the situation. sometimes I can feel this negative emotion, but when I put it into words, it makes me feel different.
I use ‘How was my day (video diary)’ which is an app I installed on my phone. Its a much smaller community that youtube..