Mental health. It is nearly 2019 and for some reason society still cannot grasp the fact that people suffer from a spectrum of mental illnesses. Mental illnesses are just as painful and take as much strength to overcome as a physical illness or injury. We need to get past the stereotype that people are just "acting" or "pretending" to feel depressed or anxious. No, we can not just simply "get over it" or control when we are going to be affected. Would you tell someone that just broke their leg to stop pretending to be in pain and to walk it off? I don't think so.

With all of that being said, many people struggling with different types of mental illnesses turn to different medications to help them feel like themselves again. One thing to understand about this is that depression, for example, is a chemical imbalance in your brain. Yes, going to therapy and talking through your feelings can help, but if this comes down to science and the chemical makeup of your brain, using medications to help balance out what is going on can drastically improve a persons health.

Many people like myself rely on both medications and therapy to help work through what is going on and maintain a healthy mind and body and that is 100% OK. People with physical pain use various painkillers to help them, so why can't I use something to help me get through the day and feel myself again?

So stop the mindset that I'm weak and not strong enough to overcome my mental health problems just because I take medication. If anything, it makes me a stronger person that I chose to take the steps towards bettering myself and living a happier and healthier life.

For those of you that take medication and are working through whatever problem is causing your mental health to decline, you are strong and doing your best to get through this. Don't let anyone get to you or try and tell you your worth or knock you down. It is up to people like us to end the stigma and make sure everyone understands how these mental illnesses do not define us and that we can get through anything.