The common statement, “Just be happy” is often said to people with mental illnesses. Just be happy seems so simple but its not. Sometimes its frustrating knowing the people have the capability to just be happy without even trying. Its hard to believe that people can just wake up and not worry about anything. Its amazing that these people even exist, and its bad that I envy them.

Mental illnesses are not a choice. Don’t you think that if we can just be happy that we would? No one chooses to be unhappy including us. We don’t choose to wake up and hate ourselves. Mental illnesses are caused by a chemical imbalance in our brain. We are not producing enough serotonin (the chemical that controls our moods). This leads to depression and anxiety when our brain doesn’t make enough of the chemical. We did not tell our brain to stop producing serotonin, sadly it just happened. Sometimes it comes from our genetics or just life experiences that have caused it. Physical blows to the head can also cause the brain to stop making serotonin. That is where people with mental illnesses have to take SSRI’s which tells your brain to start making serotonin again. Sometimes people look at people that antidepressants as someone that is too weak but its not. It just means that they are lacking a chemical that every human being can naturally make. Antidepressants can save people’s lives and they have.

The stigma against mental illnesses still exist. People believe that if someone wants to be happy they would just be happy. They say that we use our mental illnesses as excuses or a safety blanket. It is only because they do not understand and sometimes you cannot understand until you experience it yourself.

We do not choose to be this way. As someone with anxiety and depression, it isn’t easy to tell people either. It isn’t easy to look your parent in the eye and tell them you aren’t happy. Its not easy losing friends because they just don’t understand why you canceled on them for the fifth time in a row. Its hard living everyday knowing that at any point of the day you can have a panic attack over something so simple. Its not easy having to miss class because you can get out of bed. Its not easy having a mental illness. Its actually really exhausting but when its time to go to bed we cannot sleep. It is like our brain is going 80 miles per hour on a 35 and we cannot hit the breaks.

Luckily, with the support of people that care you can find a solution to the illness. At the end of the day it is an illness and illnesses can be healed. It isn’t easy and it isn’t a fast process but you will eventually get to the point where you can actually choose to be happy. You can wake up everyday and actually have the choice if you want to stay in bed or go out and do something. Mental illnesses are not a choice and its time for people start understanding that.