Breaking the Silence: Unleashing the Power of Awareness to Transform Mental Health!
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, established by Mental Health America to educate the public about mental illness, raise awareness about research and treatments, reduce stigma, and celebrate recovery. Misconceptions and stigma often prevent people from seeking treatment for mental health issues, making awareness a vital initiative to improve understanding and increase access to healthcare.
So let's talk about mental health; how often were you told to "pray about it," "it'll get better over time," or "you need to go depress their dishes?" I know I've lost count of how often this was said to me, from my parents to my older peers and sometimes even friends. For many years I have struggled with depression and anxiety, and for so long, I never knew how serious it was because I would always think that it was something wrong with me for feeling sad or not myself. It took years for me to actually come to terms with the fact that I suffer from mental health illnesses.
After many years of always having to fight me and my thoughts and realizing that I had a purpose here on this earth because there were so many times when I did not want to, I decided to get help. Now, let me rest assured that when I first started going to therapy, there were a lot of eye rolls and a lot of "Why are you going to see a psychiatrist for?" when in reality, that was deep-rooted family trauma talking to me, right there and because of those comments I knew it was the right time. Trust me when I say that after being in therapy for three years now, it only gets easier, yes it is very traumatizing having to relive things you went through in your life, but it's more than rewarding to know how far you've come to better yourself and to be okay with living.
Being aware of people going through these challenging times is some of the best things anyone can do; knowing when that person you care about is not themselves and learning how to be gentle and understanding makes a difference. When it comes to mental health, sometimes you do not understand what is going on, but it can be the smallest thing that triggers you, and then you are back into that space where it is hard to get out of.
If you know someone struggling with their mental health, the most helpful thing you can do is initiate a conversation with them. Take time to learn about the challenges people with mental health issues face and overcome any biases or stereotypes you may have. By simply being supportive of those around you, you can help promote understanding and tolerance.