It is May again. Mental Health Awareness month. More and more ads are coming out about mental health. To make aware of those who suffer from depression, anxiety, PTSD, and so much more. In my honest opinion, we should be aware of this all year long. Growing up, we didn’t hear about depression and anxiety. Schools didn’t talk about it in health class. So why are we so focused on it now?
WHY IS MENTAL HEALTH SO IMPORTANT
Let me ask you this question, when you are sick with a cold or the flu, do you feel happy? How about this one, if you were in a car accident, are you excited? The answer, of course, is No. Even the CDC has seen the correlation that mental health and physical health are equally important to maintain. Because your mental health has the ability to control your physical health. When you do feel good and maybe even a little happy, you are willing to do more physically. Maybe stop by the gym, meet your friends for happy hour, or just go for that walk in the park. But if you are depressed or anxious, you stop moving.
WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH
When you hear me talk about mental health, do you realize it is so much more than just depression and anxiety. We commonly hear about depression, anxiety, bipolar, PTSD. Maybe you have heard about substance abuse and schizophrenia. But those are just a few of over 200 classified forms of disorders in mental health. Because you don’t think about ADHD, dementia, Autism, and so many others when you think of mental health.
WHAT CAN BE DONE FOR MENTAL HEALTH
First, I want to make it well known that if you are working through mental health challenges, you are not alone, and it is not something to be ashamed of. Mental health disorders affect all ages, genders, races, and cultures. The good news, there are so many programs and professionals out there in the world, and more get established every year, to help manage mental health. Sure, many think that drugs and medication is the fix all. It is not. Because there are different styles of therapies, group and individual, music, dance, art, there are 14 types of therapies and many other ways too.
There are self-help and self-care programs. Even medication therapies too. The problem that we all face is acknowledging the problem and willingness to get help. That is one of the main reasons that more and more artists, actors, musicians, and other celebrities are coming out to push the awareness of mental health. Just recently, we heard about 2 celebrities that have died as a result of mental health disorders. The stigma of mental health still remains in many cultures and communities. But if 1 in 5 Americans and roughly 4.4% of the global population has experienced a mental health disorder in their life, we cannot ignore this anymore.
MY MENTAL HEALTH
I personally suffer from depression, anxiety, and on occasion PTSD. And I can say, with as much confidence as I can gather…I am tired of it. Although overthinking is not a classified disorder, it is however, associated to depression and anxiety. The constant worry, thoughts of not being good enough, does anyone even care about me, and then eventually the feeling of being numb and robotic. Then I start thinking more about why I feel this way and so on.
I see a therapist monthly, been working through a couple of guided journals, using some apps on my phone to connect with others suffering as I do, reach out to my friends and family, and most of the time, I use music to calm my mind and emotions.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
So, although May is Mental Health Awareness month, I ask that we all start paying closer attention to not only our own mental health, but that of our family and friends. I started this blog to help reach out to the world and let you all know that you are not alone. Too many are out there scared, tired, lonely, and at their breaking point. I know how easy it is to hide behind smiles. But when you are really in pain, it is so much harder to hide behind the tears. Please, talk to your family and friends. Check in on them. Let them know you are there to listen. And if you are the one suffering, remember that it is okay to not be okay. It is okay to ask for help. The strongest person is not one that can do everything on their own. It is the one that asks for help when they know they cannot handle it on their own.
And for anyone who wants, I am here to listen too. Sending everyone love and hugs that we continue to work together for a healthier wellbeing.
With great warmth,
Well done honey