Today is World Mental Health Day (WMH day) So I wanted to write a blog post about it. I don't want to get too much into my own personal struggles on the internet, but I have struggled with mental health for most of my life. I have no idea how old I was when it started, but I remember being in primary school.
We see people's lives on social media and we idolize them. We get jealous because everyone else looks so happy and they look like they have a perfect life. But do they hell. The whole concept of social media is about showing off (And I'm not denying that I'm guilty of this). We filter our lives away from the negative aspects, and only share the positives online. We make our lives look happy and perfect, we try to be the good side of ourselves.
What I'm trying to say here, is that you never really know anyone. You think you know people, you might be best friends with someone, but you never truly know how they're feeling or what they may or may not be going through. You don't know who has or has had a mental illness.
I didn't even know what anxiety was until I was 16. I remember being 10 years old, frightened to go to school because I was scared of experiencing "the funny feeling", which I now know to be a type of panic attack called depersonaization. To this day, depersonalization is the scariest thing I've ever experienced and I would never wish it upon anyone.
At the moment, I'm in a much better place than I have been for a long time. I'm optimistic and I'm thriving. I live with two amazing friends and I have so many other supportive friends both at uni and home. My family are equally as loving and supportive. But the fact remains that I have struggled, and I am still recovering, but that's okay.
It's okay to not be okay, Its okay to reach a point in your life that you need help: be it medication, therapy or even just time to yourself. There is still so much stigma around mental illness and this needs to stop. We are normal people. Our illnesses do not define us, they are just a small aspect of us. It sounds weird to say it, but part of me is glad for my experiences because they've helped shape the person I am. That said, its not easy to live with.
If you are suffering, please know it's okay to ask for help. Please never ever give up on the chances of getting better.
If you know someone who is suffering, please be supportive. Never single them out or exclude them for the way they are, they need you right now. Yes, give them space but let them know you're there if they ever need you.
All my love xo
Labels: Mental Health
