In my life, I have had to deal with countless issues that have caused me to have a very troubled childhood, young adult life and even now in my adult years I am still personally dealing with them. Basically, years of putting on a happy mask eventually has it's down falls, and I more recently have just been unable to keep it up anymore. So, after seeking professional help from a therapist, I learned that holding up a fake mask during a tough situation just causes more harm than good. So instead of sticking to my old habits, I've become more honest with how I'm feeling.

Though in retrospect this has been a very liberating experience, it has also been an eye-opening experience of how those around me handle the information at hand. On one end of the spectrum, it has been very positive. A lot of people have praised me for going in and getting the help I thought I needed, one even said they were proud of me. The other side took things a little more critically. Pointing out my new fond help has made me become condescending when talking in conversation. To which after talking to my therapist, and learned that your mental health really shouldn't be judged by others.

At the end of the day, what matters most to you should be your happiness and stability, correct? So why should those around you who want to tear down your happiness affect your progress? I'd say the answer is probably something along the lines of " oh they need time to heal" or " They just don't understand the complexity of a person's mind. Though, no matter what kind of excuse you think of for their behavior towards you, it's all just an excuse.

It's an excuse for you to excuse the behavior that has brought you to this place of needing help. That's not fair to you and it's not fair to drag another person down a hole they aren't ready to understand. What I am trying to get across here is that you should be focused on getting yourself on the right track. If someone gives you their opinion on a subject matter that pertains to you then you really shouldn't take it to heart. Which is obviously easier said than done.

My advice to you or anyone reading this who has ever had an unprofessional opinion about someone who is going through their own mental health journey, or just talking about anyone who is or has been.

Just stop.

It's not your place to tell anyone or allow anyone who isn't a professional to make comments that could be detrimental to you. Though I would like to state that I don't mean to not talk about it at all. Of course, talking about your progress and sending helpful tips to those around you is great, it's just recognizing when this topic is appropriate for you and those around you.