Papers are due. Tests are coming up. You work in between classes to pay the bills. You're watching your weight. You're balancing a relationship on top of all that... and sometimes you feel like you're going to snap. Now, imagine struggling with a mental disorder on top of all that; that is the reality for millions of college-aged Americans today.

When someone tells you your mental health should not be one of your top priorities, politely ask them to reconsider. Your mental health is just as serious as your physical health, because it is a real component of your physical health. Some people like to believe that the mentally unhealthy are simply "weak", that they "can't handle" reality. They refuse to acknowledge the neurological realities of mental illness, and how neurological ailments can affect every aspect of your life.

I am a chronic sufferer of clinical depression and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; no, I don't just organize things and say "I have OCD"! I actually have OCD, and it is not fun, nor glamorous, nor fashionable. It is miserable and it conflicts with my daily life. As a child I ritualized compulsively and I couldn't enjoy simple games or activities other kids seemed to have fun with. Now, as an adult, and my mind is constantly on a loop of obsessive thoughts I cannot control (even with my medication). These obsessive thoughts intensify as my stress mounts, particularly during a collegiate semester, and it makes it nearly impossible to focus on any singular task or carry out normal relationships. I constantly doubt and second guess myself, and I doubt everything people say to me. If one little thing goes slightly awry, I obsess over it all day and try to control it in any way I possibly can. I always feel like I am chasing after some semblance of control that doesn't actually exist, but I tirelessly chase after it anyways. Trust me, it's exhausting.

When I become more stressed out, my mental health suffers. When I take my mental and physical health more seriously and I take time to care more for myself, my mental health improves, and so do my grades, my friendships, and my overall mood. I am a strong advocate of taking a "sick day" for mental health every once in a while; if I can miss a class for having a cold, why can't I miss a class for having a panic attack, which is equally (if not more) debilitating and physically draining? Moral of the story is this; take care of yourself, and take your mental health as seriously as you take your physical health, because they are on-par with one another. In fact, they aren't opposing forces; they are a delicate balance that affect one another in every way. When I am mentally unhealthy, my overall quality of life and physical health declines.

Thus, caring for my mental health is just as important to me as caring for my physical health. Taking a "mental health day" from time to time is completely okay, and sometimes completely necessary. Don't let anyone tell you that your mental health doesn't matter, because it does. Don't let anyone belittle your mental health or call you "weak" for taking care of yourself, because seeking help is one of the strongest, most brave things you can ever do.

Hang in there, and take care of yourselves, friends.