You don't have to earn your mental health struggles

"I don't deserve to be depressed" is a troubling refrain coming from America's campuses

A college student.
(Image credit: Illustrated | jacoblund/iStock, rudchenko/iStock)

"A lot of times I feel like I'm not allowed to complain, to be upset or stressed, because whatever's on my plate isn't horrible enough."

Jane (not her real name), a junior at Duke University, explained to me recently that most of her freshman year she had been depressed. She never sought help, however, because she thought it would mean she was shallow and unappreciative.

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Caralena Peterson

Caralena Peterson is a high school teacher, writer, and visual artist. She is at work on the forthcoming book, The Effortless Perfection Myth. You can follow her on Instagram at @caralenapeterson or @badasscreative_.