The other day I had the opportunity to get together and go out for lunch with a few old friends of mine from elementary school days. While we are all very busy in discovering what it means to navigate our life in our early twenties, we try our hardest to still get together to talk and catch up. Over time, our relationships grow as we do, and I'm really happy to hear that as adults trying to figure things out, we're at least talking about the problems we face and taking care of ourselves in the mean time.

As we sat down to eat and our discussions got more in depth, it became apparent to me that all three of my friends and myself deal with mental health issues on the regular, but more importantly, it was apparent that it was refreshing to openly talk about it without any judgment. It's comforting knowing that although we don't always get together or talk as often as we used to, we at least support one another and would always be there for each other when it comes down to it. And ultimately, as young adults struggling to find our way, it's comforting to know that we're not alone in our journey.

As I listened to each one of my friends talk about their experiences and how they're feeling about themselves and their life, it dawned on me how relatable our issues really are, even if they're not. For instance each of us has a hard time dealing with anxiety; while it's not to the same extent or for the same reasons, talking about the issue and how we're going about dealing with it really helps just the general idea and concept of living through it. The feeling that you're not alone in a battle is extremely reassuring, and I urge those to reach out to those who care about you if you feel you suffer from mental health, as there are always outlets to express ourselves.

The best realization for me though, was seeing that my friends were taking care of themselves, or at least attempting to. Distinguishing that there might be a problem and understanding that it's okay to not be okay, but more importantly understanding the need of addressing the issue. Talking about our problems really helps, and hearing firsthand that we're not the only ones going through this and that there are options out there that can really help bring a newfound hope that makes dealing with our mental health issues that much easier. Not only that, but to hear how each of us works toward improving our daily lives a little bit at a time, really reinstates that motivation that we don't want to feel miserable or let life get the best of us, but rather to take care of ourselves, so that we get the best out of life.

If it's too much to conquer alone, and it usually is, it's comforting to know that the stigmas that surround mental health, while still apparent, are also changing into something far better: the ability to openly talk about mental health issues, which makes seeking help and reaching out to others much more bearable and reassuring. Nevertheless, the more we discuss and recognize mental health issues, the more we can break those demeaning stigmas and learn to live and work through our problems alone and with one another.

If there's one thing I took away from my lunch with my friends, it's how lucky I am that I have the opportunity to talk about my issues without any judgement, and that friends who support me and want the best for me are the best friends I can have, and that's something I hope everyone has the same opportunity for. The more we talk about mental health, the better we bring together that support system that reinstates the feeling that you are not alone in your battle, and the more we overcome our limitations, the closer we become to ourselves and those around us.