It is sad that there is a stigma attached to reaching out for help when it comes to emotional stress. We don’t have a problem with going to the doctor when we break a bone or catch a cold, but when it comes to emotional distress and mental weariness, we hesitate. We do this because for some reason, it has been ingrained in us that it makes us weak to seek help for our mental wellness.

I think in order to see a change in attitudes and a change in people feeling well, we need to encourage talking. Talking to someone and letting out anything that is within is not only courageous, but it will help. Everyone copes in different ways, so maybe seeking advice is not the key, but sitting with someone and having a person to rely on is vital. We should not see this as weak; we should see that as being brave. If you are able to find someone and trust them with the thoughts in your brain and the feelings within, what could be more courageous than that?

I have been guilty of keeping thoughts inside because I think no one cares or because everyone goes through stress or anxieties, but that is not the case. We are all different in how we handle situations. While one thing may feel minuscule to one person, it may feel like the world is falling apart to another. It is not fair to have one standard of mental wellness for every single person, and we should not expect people to just be okay when it doesn’t seem like that big of an issue. It is nobody’s fault. That is just how we are made. By seeking someone to talk to and to just lay out anything that may be wrong, we can start working toward finding ways to cope.

I am not saying that there is a definite cure, but there are ways to cope and to live a life that is awesome just by being brave and seeking someone. I find that the strongest ones are the people who can admit that they need help. A huge part of fixing the problem of ignoring mental illness is support. We do not shame anyone for finding help; you do not turn a blind eye because you don’t think it’s a big deal. As people, we ask questions, we see if someone is okay. Being a kind person and lending a hand when it is not necessarily asked of you is a way to fix this problem.