Hi, i'm Renden. I'm 22 and I've been living with moderate anxiety and depression since middle school. I need a place to talk and I hope that I've found it. I feel like I can handle my anxiety fairly well at this point in my life. I have tried different medicines. They all had terrible side effects and I have learned to live without little medicinal help.

What I am struggling with now is more of a symptom of social anxiety and depression. It is hard for me to meet people and it is even harder for me to keep relationships with people because of my anxiety. I have a close, small group of friends, but I don't share much with them because my depression has made me closed off. I feel like sharing my problems and struggles with people makes me seem weak. The results of this have made me lonely. I lost a girlfriend because of my anxiety. I constantly turn down invitations to hang out with friends because of my anxiety. My lack of social life reduces my self-esteem which in turn increases my depression. My fear is living in this loneliness.

I don't mean to be a pity party, but I have a lot of built up emotions that I have never talked to anyone about and I hope this forum can help. Also, i hope to help anyone I can if at all possible.