Good mental health is needed for a person's overall health. Why should someone feel ashamed for the state of their mental health? It’s most likely a chemical imbalance, which is what most mental disorders are, and that’s something that people have no control over. The most common disorders are depression and anxiety, and when the two evils are put together, it wreaks havoc on the mind and body.
Have you ever felt an overwhelming feeling of sadness? You were just doing some random task or lying in bed one night, and it just hits you like a ton of bricks? The most common time for me to feel as sad as can be is at night when I’m alone with my thoughts. The ‘what ifs’, the ‘what should’ve/could’ve/would’ve beens’, the ‘why do people like me? I’m no good,' the thoughts of the past that bring up every negative emotion or feeling that you felt when that bad event happened go soaring through my mind. These specific scenarios don’t always happen, but it’s very probable that they will. Sometimes there’s just the sadness encompassing my whole entire being, and there’s nothing to make it go away except, hopefully, sleep. Those are the unexplainable bouts of depression, and they’re the absolute worse. All I want is someone to talk me through it and fix the problem, but that second part is what will never, ever happen. If you’re suffering with depression, make sure that you have someone close to you who’s willing to be there for you. To talk through it, be there to just listen, or actively help you get through the pain.
Anxiety: that nagging, constant reminder that bad things often happen, and you’re going to be anxious about them, whether you like it or not. At least, this is what happens to me. It’s like there’s a little anxious troll hiding around the corner always ready to tell you what you don’t want to hear. Sometimes you want to be left alone because of the fear you have. The fear of others, fear of what could happen, fear of failing, fear of succeeding, fear of embarrassment or whatever else you fear can control everything you do. It absolutely has the ability to control someone’s whole life.
Have you ever been full of anxious feelings and depressed thoughts at the same time? That’s what truly can be detrimental to your health and overall being. The combination of both can be utterly crippling on the bad days. So crippling, in fact, that the only thing you can really do is keep breathing. If even that. Some people go as far as having suicidal thoughts, so if you or someone you know has them, make sure you have support. Tons of support from loved ones can help immensely.
Now, none of this was meant to be sad or anything like that, but it was meant to open the eyes of those who feel the need to keep mental illness hidden. Kept as a dark, dirty little secret that should never be spoken about. I’m hoping this will help those that need more support. Just remember that you are loved and cared about. Never forget that.
