I first began experiencing anxiety and depression at age 14 after being bullied(欺凌) at school for years. While at first anxiety and depression would come and go, it eventually became constant part of my life.
I was so set on finding the solution to overcoming it that I tried everything from when I was in college to graduate school：mood-changing medication, special teas, yoga, anything I read about in books, and advice given by doctors. Despite this, I still felt I hadn't even come close to managing the problem.
But one afternoon, I spotted an article in a magazine talking about how dogs were able to help people with anxiety and depression. The next day, I managed to get a dog—corgi(柯基犬).
However, once the "puppy excitement" went away, my anxiety and depression came back as usual. One morning, I woke up with those familiar feelings again. I didn't want to get out of bed. I turned to pull the covers back over my head and give up. That's when I saw my pet—Buddy.
Buddy started jumping all over me, licking(舔) my face, and letting me know that it was time to go outside. It was as if he were saying, "There's no time to be sad! The world is amazing!" And for the first time in my life, on a day when my anxiety and depression were strong, I got out of bed. I put on my winter clothes and went for a walk in the snow with my new friend. I realized at that moment, walking down the street in winter, my life was changing. I was really a new girl.
Sure, I still have days when I feel down or anxious. But with Buddy by my side, I've finally learned how to manage these feelings and emotions.
