The Wisdom I Wish Others Knew: A Mental Health Diagnosis Isn’t A Death Sentence
You can learn how to live a full and beautiful life even with mental health issues
Many people shy away from going to therapy because they don’t want to get “labeled” with a diagnosis.
The thing is, you have to admit you are sick in order to start getting well.
Admitting your mental health struggles can be difficult because of societal stigma. It’s time we start thinking of mental health the same way we think about physical health. If you had a broken leg, you wouldn’t just smile and pretend to be fine. If you are hurting mentally, getting help is equally important.
The first time I told someone that I was depressed was when I was in high school. I came home one day from school crying because my teacher had yelled at me.
Yelling freaks me out. I can’t hang when people yell.
Today, I know that it’s a trauma response, but at 16 years old I had no idea. So, I came home from school in tears and found my dad home early, which I had not expected. He asked me what was wrong, I said simply, “I’m depressed.”
He started yelling at me, saying “What’s your real problem?”
