*Warning, this article mentions mental illness and suicide. Read at your own discretion*
In today’s day and age, more and more people are taking their mental health serious. People are talking to therapists and breaking down certain behaviors and talking to psychiatrists about taking medicine for their mental health. However, there is still some shame associated with prioritizing and getting help for your mental health. I am here to tell you that there is NO shame in making your mental health a priority.
I have struggled with mental health issues basically my entire life. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression at the age of 15 (but I’m pretty sure I had it long before I was diagnosed), bipolar two at the age of 19, and ADHD at the age of 21. Living with mental illnesses is hard, some days I can’t get out of bed. It becomes very hard to be motivated to get things done. It has made being a college student very hard and mentally taxing. But, things like medication and therapy help me get my work done and become excited to participate in collegiate events (and even join organizations like Her Campus!)
When we don’t prioritize our mental health, it can make us do things like push people away or not go after what we want. My anxiety would convince me that I wasn’t cool enough or pretty enough to join certain organizations or to talk to certain people. However, talking about my feelings has helped me get out of my shell and be more confident. I have along the way met people who struggle with some of the same mental health issues that I do and we help each other through it.
If you are reading this and struggling with mental health, you are not alone. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five Americans will struggle with mental illness. So why are we stigmatizing mental health and making people feel bad for prioritizing it? It’s 2022, we need to stop shaming those with mental illnesses. You wouldn’t shame someone for having a heart attack, so why shame someone for being depressed? Both are instances of major organs not functioning correctly. When something doesn’t function correctly, you have it looked at by a professional. The same goes for being mentally ill.
1 in 5 Americans will struggle with mental illness.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
The stigma around mental illness needs to stop. We need to make sure behavior medication and therapy are more affordable. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death among Americans according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Taking your mental health seriously and supporting those who do is suicide prevention.
If you do not have mental health problems, just being there for the people who do and encouraging them to get help is awesome. Having people there to support you and love you makes it easier to cope.