No one is alone
The hardest thing in life is believing that you're all alone with no one there to help.
My best friend Abby felt alone and hopeless for weeks on end during junior year of high school; no one knew what she was enduring. Students were too busy going about their lives: worrying about how to get the perfect SAT score, how to maintain a good GPA, and how to apply to colleges. But, for her she was stuck: trapped in her thoughts, unable to express how she felt. She hid it from her mom and her friends, even from me. Abby was later diagnosed with major depression disorder.
Depression is one of the most common and serious mental illness, in which, feelings of sadness and loss of interest last for weeks as well as interferes with daily life. It is more than just having a bad day or feeling "blue." Depression is often undermined for what the disease entails. About 5.125 million college students in the United States alone are diagnosed with depression. Symptoms aren't always clear, but in most cases, the diagnosed patients will experience overwhelming sadness or feelings of worthlessness. A sign of trouble is the avoidance of friends, activities, and social events. People with depression also face unexpected outbursts of anger or crying, severe behavior change, and the inability to sleep or eat.
Depression is a disease that affects not only the patient but also the family and friends of the patient. I was profoundly affected by my best friend's condition; she was like a sister to me. She was the first friend I made in 8th grade when I transferred schools. We bonded through having a crush on the same guy, and every day after school we would walk to the library and talk for hours till it was time to go home. When high school applications came around, Abby and I applied to Bellaire High School, and we both got accepted and continued our education. In high school, we spent a lot of our time together: eating lunch, doing our homework, and studying for finals. On the weekends, we would carpool and volunteer at Houston SPCA. We used to talk on the phone for hours about anything and everything.
One day, Abby was absent; a rare thing since she was extremely diligent and would go to school no matter what. She was gone for a while; I got worried and tried to contact her through texts and social media, but I heard nothing. I didn't get a single reply. One day I get a call from her mom, saying Abby was hospitalized. I was in shock. My mind was racing, trying to remember the days leading up to her absence.
I couldn't believe it myself. I didn't notice my best friend was in need. She told me that she was worried about college, but I thought that's how everyone felt. The trigger was when her father moved to Japan to find work after being laid off. Abby, thoughtful and kind, didn't want anyone, especially her mother, to worry about her. She was so scared of the future; in her mind, everything was passing by, and she was stuck-immovable. Abby French, my best friend and the most genuine, conscientious person, tried to take her life on April 18th.
In the 5.125 million college students diagnosed, over 1,000 individual cases end in suicide. College is a stressful environment for most young people, and college students are often reluctant to seek help due to the social stigmas of depression; therefore, it is of particular importance for family and friends to get involved if they suspect a student is suffering from depression. Untreated depression is the number one risk for suicide among youth.
After learning all of this, I put all my efforts into helping her. Even though we go to different universities now, I still make time to call and text her every day. I've recently asked her how she's doing, and she replied, "I am still trying to figure out how to be happy on my own," and I support her in every way possible. People who are diagnosed with depression usually try to hide it from their family and friends. You have to notice the small changes in the person. When you believe the person is experiencing extreme sadness and distancing himself or herself, you should reach out, talk to the person, listen to what he or she has to say, express concern, and help him or her seek advice from a professional.
College is a huge change for many people, and some will experience homesickness and may feel lost or even become depressed. The mental health of individuals has evolved over decades. Only recently, depression has become a major issue. By understanding the causes, types, and symptoms of depression, we may be able to cure it.
No one is alone.
(Need critiques and I was wondering if the essay is too long (815 words and 53 lines))Holt Educational Consultant - / 14,835 
4783 Abby, I am not sure what this essay is for. Is this for a college paper or a college application? If it is for the college application, I would like to have a copy of the prompt and instructions posted in the next thread from you so that I can better asses the content of the essay. Right now, this is coming across as a very insightful and informative research paper about depression. However, it doesn't involve you directly. Since you mentioned UT Austin in the title. I am wondering if you did not misunderstand the prompt and offer a different answer for the instructions you were given. The essay is too long and focuses on your friend instead of you. Normally, that is not how essays of this sort (college application) goes. It would have you discussing your participation in the problem of your friend and focus on how it affected you and led you to your choice of major. This essay, doesn't accomplish that in a very good manner. I will be able to offer better instructions for the revision once I read the actual instructions. Please post it soon.
Hi,
First off all, in any essay or application you have to include the title, about what your are writing or for what, to know on what to expect from the essay/application/letter etc.
In overall, there is no grammar or misspelling issues in your work.
