This is not an easy topic to discuss. We have seen it in the headlines of our news related to how social media or Covid isolation impact mental health. We see it on Broadway with shows like Dear Evan Hanson and fictional shows we watch on TV. We have seen it sadly when the story of a teen taking ones life makes the local or national news. But do we talk about it with one another? Have our views on mental health changed? Or is it something people still battle alone?
My own battles with depression were some of the darkest times of my life. I felt so alone. So hopeless. As a teen I battled it alone not telling anyone until I attempted suicide. I scared myself so much that I told my parents and got counseling. Even then I never told friends or my boyfriend at the time. I still battled it alone. When I struggled with post partum depression years later, again I didn't talk about it. I felt guilty and ashamed. Around that same time my husband was struggling too. He was diagnosed with depression and realized he had been battling it silently and alone for half of his life.
My story and my families stories involve counseling and therapy and medication. It sometimes takes a while to find the right treatment, the right therapist and the best coping methods. Not all days are good days. Even with treatments there are days someone struggles to get out of bed or has a panic attack.
Mental health struggles even with treatments can be isolating, overwhelming and scary for not only the person with the condition but also for everyone who loves them. When you love someone with anxiety, depression, and so on, you often feel helpless, alone and afraid. It can be very dark for everyone.
I have always believed even the smallest light can chase away darkness. I am seeing more and more little flickers of light starting to share their stories. Hopefully, by writing today I can be one more light. Mental health issues are slowly coming out of the shadows. My hope is we see more conversations about struggles people are facing so we can lift up and support one another. Empathy, patience, and understanding can shine brightly chasing away the darkness of guilt or shame.
If you or someone you love battles a mental illness I hope this gives you hope. Please talk to someone so you don't face this battle alone. Not every support group or therapist will be right for you but find one that is. Share your story with a trusted loved one. Some might offer bad advice that adds to the darkness (like you can pray away your condition. Prayer can and does help many people including myself but in my experiences prayer won't change the biochemical condition of one's brain). Distance yourself from those who add more darkness and seek those who offer light . I send you much love.
