Let’s talk about mental health

I have been putting this off for a while, longer than I likely should have. I wanted to wait until #BellLetsTalk in January, but I don’t want to wait anymore. The irony in that is that’s the same thing I did with my mental health. I held off, then held off some more, until it eventually broke at the seams and all overflowed at once. Millions of other people have the same issues, and the problem isn’t even close to being fixed . However, mental health awareness is on the rise. People need to open up and accept their mental health for what it is: a fluid composition. You won’t ever feel happy all the time, as you won’t ever feel sad all the time.
Let me preface this by talking a bit about my own problems. I want everyone to realize that mental illness takes a toll on a lot of people, even if you may not see it firsthand. The last three months of my life have been awful for my mental health — in a matter of a few days I went from the happiest I can recall ever being, down all the way to the bottom of the barrel, and I mean all the way down. If you asked any of my friends or colleagues they would likely tell you I’m rarely the loafing sour friend; it’s likely they would describe me as someone who loves to laugh and talk about sports. That mask can’t stay on 24/7. As much as I wish it could stay on, it can’t. That doesn’t mean that I can’t do my best to get back to the person I was. Thankfully, I’m fully aware of the steps I need to take to overcome these issues — and I plan to do them.
But can you be helped? Can the anxiety, bad will, lack of hope and all the things that go on in your head when your mental stability just isn’t there subside? To answer it bluntly, yes. The first and most important step is talking. What so many people don’t understand is you have to be willing to ask for help in order to help yourself. If you sit with a festering mental illness it is impossible for you to feel better without taking action. You can’t fear getting help. Getting help is not going to hinder you — it’s only a positive. Tell yourself it can’t be a negative. Not only do you have to take action, but you have to look to those around you for support and help. Don’t think for a second they won’t help you. You would be surprised how much the people in your life genuinely care. I know I was.
Your friends and family will be there for you in your time of need. And if for whatever reason you can’t talk to your family and friends, there are professionals that will do their best to help you. You’re not alone in all of this.
Take a step in the right direction. Don’t wait to take action on mental health, do it now, not later. Even if you aren’t currently dealing with anything personally, reach out to those around you and make sure they are OK.
I want to personally thank my family and friends who were there for me when I needed it most, and for any of them reading this I want them to know I’m getting better. And I wouldn’t hesitate to help them the way they helped me.
