“Anytime someone says, ‘Can I ask you a question’ [or] ‘I have something to tell you’ in a serious way, I get paranoid and start to overthink so many situations in my head where I eventually break down,” East Bay Arts junior Naomi Morales said.

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Depression and anxiety overtook the 10th grade for Morales and continues to affect her. After a fallout with someone who was close to her, Morales began to worry and overthink that more friends would hurt her.

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After trying to cut things with the individual, Morales would continue to experience problems with them. It also resulted with her getting anxiety when a friend approached her with a serious tone. 

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“Ever since then I would have problems with that person and I just couldn’t handle it, and I know it’s odd but whenever someone tries to ask a serious question or say that they want to tell me something important, I get paranoid and start over thinking scenarios in my head thinking as if they would say or do something to me,” Morales said. 

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The quarantine put in place has not had an affect on Morales’ anxiety. 

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“[The] quarantine doesn’t really change [my mood] since it happened again recently two or three times [and] because anything can happen. It still happens but depends on the situation,” Morales said.

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Though Morales still goes through these things, she has attended therapy sessions which do help her out along with friends that are supportive. Morales says that venting is extremely helpful.

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“Thankfully my health changed thanks to my friends who would give me advice, I always keep what they would say to heart [and] going to the therapist works as well, just ranting to anyone in general helps so much. At first, I really didn’t want to put my burden on how I would feel during my depression with others but some understood and was there with me no matter what,” Morales said.