Mental Health Matters

I’ve written and rewritten this blog multiple times now because I didn’t know how to get the words out in the right way. I’ve been trying to blog about mental health for the longest time and I have inserted chunks of what I have wanted to say here and there, but nothing concrete. October 11 was Mental Health Awareness Day and I think it came at an appropriate time in my life since I was in Austin, Texas, this past weekend. While on this trip, I had the opportunity to talk with one of my friends and classmates, Sierra Prince, on the topic of mental health. It was one of those eye-opening conversations that changes the way you look at things in your life and inspired me to finally write about mental health.

I have struggled with my mental health my whole life; I’ve been an anxious person for as long as I can remember. It used to be easy to irritate me and make me emotional and although I still carry some of those qualities today, it is under better control. This is because of my decision to begin going to therapy sessions. I was reluctant to get help for a long time because I thought what I was feeling was normal and my feelings would change eventually. Once I began to realize I was wrong, I knew I needed to talk to someone to make me feel better. I was appointed to a therapist by my high school English teacher and started going to sessions the winter of my senior year. I was ashamed and didn’t tell my friends at first because I was scared of judgment and abandonment. I know how extreme that sounds, but those are the types of scenarios I would play in my head over and over again.

Once I started attending sessions regularly, I realized it was the one of the best decisions I had ever made. The stigma that goes along with the word “therapy” drove me away from bettering myself for months. This is one of the biggest issues when mental health is discussed. People think going to therapy should be last resort, like if you can’t fix your own problems, get them fixed by somebody else. As a result, most people push down their feelings and as they worsen, it gets harder to cope. Therapy isn’t the only option and won’t be the best choice for everybody, it depends on the individual. Finding the correct approach to treat your anxiety or depression is the best way to get as close to happiness as possible. With that being said, anxiety and depression will never be fixed completely; the only thing a person can do is learn to cope properly. Society has created the idea that anxiety equals weakness, when it can be used as a strength if approached in the correct way.

Anxiety and depression are not to be taken lightly; they aren’t nouns to describe common feelings. There is a large population of the world who are learning how to cope with anxiety or depression and when the words “anxious” or “depressed” are used casually, it adds to the issue. These mental health disorders are serious problems that need to be addressed with real solutions, so diminishing the importance of those words keeps mental health out of the spotlight. Another thing to note is some mental health issues aren’t lifetime problems; they can come randomly for short periods of time due to stress. One example of this is Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is something that occurs with the changing of seasons around the same time every year. I want to emphasize this fact because I went through one last year without knowing what it was the entire time. Understanding the different types of mental health disorders is vital to understanding your own feelings. Of course, there are millions of people dealing with anxiety and depression, but the ones who are fortunate enough not to deal with it cannot take away from those are still working to better themselves.

Mental health is one of biggest problems in modern society and although it can never be stopped, people can build their awareness on the issue. These feelings are not some that should be pushed down to address at a later time; there is no better time than now to work on your mental health. Having a better understanding of yourself should be a priority in everyone’s lives, and it all begins with having an honest conversation. Although I still have a long way to go on my journey with mental health, I am learning more and bettering myself every day. With something as long term as anxiety is, I take little things I do every day as wins, such as: keeping my room clean, listening to good music, maintaining a sleep schedule and not dressing like a bum every once in a while. These things are different for everyone, but help make it easier to get out of bed and achieve what you need to for the day. Talk to people you love and tell them how you are feeling, even if it scares you. Chances are, they have been through similar challenges and can help you overcome the obstacle you are facing. Mental health is not something anyone should be afraid of in life. It should be embraced with open arms because despite the hardships you may face, you learn the most about yourself when you fail.

Last but certainly not least, never sacrifice your happiness or well-being for anyone. If someone in your life is not accepting and understanding of a challenge in your life, they are most likely adding to the problem. Mental health is something that needs to be brought to everyone’s attention, but it is no joke. Take time to focus on yourself and the people who are willing to help you, not hurt you. I’m going to leave you with a quote my brother sent me a few weeks ago, “The people who have a strong sense of love and belonging believe they are worthy of love and belonging”. And as Tommy said to me, you are worthy of love and belonging, and don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.