When you have a fever, soar throat, runny nose or aching body, what do you do? Well first, you call your mom, then take NyQuil and DayQuil like your life depends on it, and finally cave in and go to the doctor, when in reality, you should've just went in and gotten diagnosed with strep throat right away so you could get better, faster.
But what do you do when you're depressed? You might call your mom or another friend and hear phrases like "don't worry about it" or "you're just overreacting." Then, you try and find your own personal NyQuil and DayQuil to help your new pain. Each day is hard, but once in a blue moon, you wake up and suddenly feel okay again, but no doctor visits for you. But then, just when you thought it wouldn't, it gets worse, and you crawl back into bed because you're "just so tired" and don't move for days on end.
Depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders are just as, if not even more serious, than your physical health, yet no one seems to treat it that way. When you or a friend are physically ill, have you noticed how much harder it is to focus in class or on your homework? Well, it's harder to focus when your mind won't stop racing with dark thoughts and insecurities.
When you have a cold, you can try and sleep it off, and most of the time, it works. With depression, you can lay in bed as long as you want, but your feelings of hopelessness won't go away with time. Sometimes when you're stressed or sad or feeling not like yourself, just like when you're physically ill, you just need to go get help.
Approximately 1 in 4 adults will experience mental illness in a given year, but the real question is will they get diagnosed and receive the treatment they need, or will they be discouraged by their friends and family to seek professional help, claiming that it's a sign of weakness? Unlike physical illness, you cannot see any physical signs of anxiety disorders. More often than not, those afflicted by such harsh pain will try to mask their feelings and just "deal with it."
But mental illness doesn't just hurt, it hurts. It's all that's on your mind all of the time. Life becomes a day by day struggle. It's like you're at the bottom of death valley, and no matter what you do you can't find a way out. So you try to climb out, and then you slip down, try to climb out again, and you slip even further. You keep trying and trying, but you can't get out of this alone. And you know what? That's okay.
If someone is diagnosed with cancer, would you let them go through it alone? No. You would stay with them, support them and help them through everything they need. Would you consider them to be a burden on your life? Absolutely not.
When you notice your friend is acting differently, don't shame them. If they skip a lot of classes, talk to them. If they don't like going out as much as they used to, ask them if they're okay. If you haven't seen them in awhile, make sure they're alright. Be there for them and listen to them. Mental illness is impossible to deal with alone.
If you're stressed, sad, or feeling down by any means, please talk to somebody. The smallest of situations could eventually lead to a serious mental health problem and should be taken care of early on. Do not make the mistake of waiting until it's too late.
And if someone you know is stressed, sad or feeling down, please talk to them. And most importantly, do not diminish anything they are saying. You never know if they are leaving out deeper, darker thoughts or feelings. Assure them that you are there for them because you want to be, not because you have to be. Do not make them feel like a burden, despite the amount they complain to you. Believe me, their illness is a burden enough on themselves, the last thing they want to do is be a burden on anyone else.
So please, do treat your mental health and the mental health of others like your life depends on it, because it actually does. Look out for your friends, look out for yourself, and look out for strangers. Do not ever, under any circumstance, joke around with a friend and tell them to "go kill themselves." You have absolutely no idea what thoughts are running through their head that moment and what mask they're wearing at that moment.
If you or a friend need help, and it isn't an immediate emergency, start by calling your local hospital, or even your school's health center, and ask about counseling appointments. If it's late at night, and you need to talk to someone right away, call the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 if you don't feel like you can call anyone else. God forbid, if you end up in a place where you believe you are a danger to yourself, call 911.
If you haven't heard it in awhile, you are worth it. You are worth everything and anything. You are worth every piece of this life you were graced with. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
People will miss you. The sun may still rise if you're gone, but your friends and family won't want it to without you here, and neither would I. Life gets hard, trust me, I understand how you feel. I also understand that it gets better. Take my word for it, things work out, and I want you here to discover that truth for yourself.
