I am so fucking tired of articles referring to those suffering with mental health is merely a whiny millennial's "first world problem" and claiming those who suffer are just a part of a trend, because it is something that is regularly posted on social media. My mental health, and for many others has majorly impacted my life in too many ways. It has affected my own physical body, and my own internal mind, messing with the way I think, act, and view life itself. I have yet to find a true answer why something like anxiety and depression can affect someone like me so much.
It's harder to come to terms what exactly my body and mind is going through, and trying to grasp control of something much more powerful then me when there is still stigmas surrounding mental illness so deep. I can't mention I have mental health issues, for a couple reasons, one being that it is absolutely the hardest thing to describe to people, because sometimes I can't understand it myself.
I don't understand why the moment I open my eyes in the morning my heart races like I ran about 5 miles, and my mind is thinking over and over about the little things I need to do, the things I haven't done, and the worrying and becoming terrified about things, people, and certain situations that I don't need to worry about to the extent I do. I don't understand my triggers either, one minute I will be find, but then a rush of fear and worry will come to me that literally comes out of no where.
The reason I find it hard to open up about my mental health issues is partially because of the stigmas and judgment you feel for suffering, and getting help. I've heard more people say to me "just snap out of it" because they truly believe that mental illness is all in the person's head, this disease affects my brain, so it is way more complicated and extremely hard to "snap out of it."
So these stigma posts are doing two things:
1. Making mental illness suffers vulnerable and aphrensive to talk to loved ones
2. Making more individuals uneducated surrounding mental disorders.
Educating people on mental illness will help society understand that this is not just the common cold everyone gets once or twice a year, and it is something that we must raise awareness to, and change our approach when someone who suffers confides in you. It shows that we're not alone, and we need to keep fighting to rise above these disorders, and as silly as it sounds, it really does help. It's always a better day getting reassurance, encouragement, and love from someone you love that everything is going to be okay, and that you're not alone. Working together to reach out a giving hand, accept, and bring awareness can help stop the stigmas of mental disorders, and make people like me feel safe, less alone, and feel less different.
