Debby Ryan Opens Up About Mental Illness in Inspiring New Video

Debby Ryan is getting real with fans for Mental Health Month.

The 24-year-old actress filmed a personal video for Tumblr’s “Post It Forward” feature in which she talks about her own experiences with depression, anxiety, and OCD.

“I wanted to share a couple things that I have figured out or am leading into within dealing with how my mind makes things really, really difficult for me sometimes,” Debby says. “As of right now, depression and anxiety are kind of opposite sides of the same coin. And there are days that feeling daunted by the world and being intimidated by getting out of bed, and just being daunted to be alive � that kind of thing can be genuinely tricky and confusing.”

“I know for me, within dealing with OCD, locking the same door over and over, and having a fear that if you don’t handle one thing, or do one thing, that something terrible can happen,” Debby continues. “Knowing with your mind that you’ve turned off the lights or pushed clear on the microwave five times, and knowing with your mind that it is okay and not being able to have that peace of mind and satisfaction until you’ve actually gone and done these sort of rituals… it can feel so cyclical and daunting.”

She also says, “Something I encourage you to do is make small goals. Take them one step at a time, write them down on a to-do list if you have to, give yourself the satisfaction of crossing them off.”

Watch the rest of Debby‘s “Post It Forward” video below.