Kristy Hutchings ended up in the emergency room. She didn’t have a broken leg, arm or a burst appendix, she was having an anxiety attack that was completely debilitating.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health. An estimated 17.3 million adults in the United States had at least one major depressive episode in 2017. However, navigating depression and knowing when to ask for help can be daunting.
Annenberg Media’s Chace Beech spoke with Dr. Lauren Shapiro, Director of the Psychology Services center at USC about recognizing depressive symptoms. Shapiro emphasized the importance of asking for support, even if the symptoms don’t seem overly pronounced. “Maybe they’re not in bed all day... having suicidal ideation but maybe they’re going to class and they’re having a lot of trouble focusing.” It’s worth getting some additional support” said Shapiro.