Mental health. There is such a stigma against conversations about it. I find that sad.
I have had so-called mental health issues since I was a child. It started out with ADHD and as I got older, the condition worsened. My parents cared enough to get me the treatment I needed to help my young mind grow as “normal” kids did.
Eventually, I was diagnosed as borderline bipolar. Now, I don’t know if I am full-blown bipolar or not, but I do recognize the symptoms of manic-depressive cycling in myself, and as an adult, that is my self diagnosis. I don’t really want to spend the money on getting the words on paper, if that makes sense.
I personally have to take things day by day. I talk myself down from anger highs a lot more frequently than I wish I did. I really have to try, but when I experience calm or simple happiness, it is worth so much more to me.
Mental health has been on my mind a lot lately because as stress begins to affect a person in their adult life, it sets off these uncomfortable triggers. Triggers are like tags that make a person react in a way that isn’t “normal.” But it’s kind of a funny thing because most people are affected by some form of mental health issue at some point of their life.
According to Mental Health America, 1 in 5 Americans have a mental health condition. THAT is what normal is. Humans are imperfect and so are our minds. We all have problems and go through rough patches. It sucks, but that’s life.
I deal with manic episodes by allowing myself a little shopping for feel-good items to soothe my anxiety. The brief periods of irrational anger and then sadness make me strong. Acknowledging that sometimes I feel weak because of the bipolarity of my moods makes me strong too. Strength is not necessarily being physically muscular or having a thick wall over your heart. Strength also lies in how we deal with our mental “issues,” and keeping them from taking over.
My manic-depressive cycling happens to me over and over throughout the year, and let me tell you, it is EXHAUSTING. Sometimes I need help with it. It’s okay to ask for help. I spent a lot of my life in the offices of psychologists, and I would be lying if I did not say they changed my life for the better.
I want to express that we are all the same, whether we describe ourselves with the word “normal” or not. I consider myself a bit quirky because I know of my so-called flaws, and I work on them every day. Mental health should not be a shunned topic because speaking up can help so many people experiencing the same things you are. Please, do not be afraid. Everything is okay, and we all get stuck in our own heads sometimes.
Statistics courtesy of: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/issues/state-mental-health-america.
HCXOXO,
Marilyn