Shining a Light on Depression and Mental Health
Let’s talk about mental health
There you are, stuck hiding in your room, shutting out the rest of the world.Your depression and anxiety are too much for you to handle today.You fear that this is your life. You’re doomed to an eternity of depression.But maybe, you can make it better. With incremental changes, you can help yourself and your mind.When you keep the thoughts and feelings in, they start to fester and grow. Before you know it, your depression is out of control. And you’re wondering how the hell did you get there.
You’re not alone.
Many suffer from depression, myself included. It’s estimated that 3.8%, or 280 million, of the global population struggle with depression.I remember days and nights where all I felt was vast emptiness.But keeping it all in only makes it worse. Depression feeds off of being confined. It’s like the darkness grows, the shadows getting bigger.You can let it out. Feel your emotions instead of turning them off or tuning them out.There are a couple of ways to do this.
Talk it out.
You can talk it out with another person. If you have a therapist, that’s a great avenue to discuss your thoughts and feelings.If you don’t have a therapist, you can talk it out with like-minded people. Your friends may or may not understand it.Unless it’s something you’ve gone through, you can’t relate to it.The good news is that there are resources and forums on the internet that provide online support.NAMI hosts weekly support groups where people can come together. They talk about their issues and are reaffirmed in real-time. The validation is great.If you’re not ready to talk about it, try journaling your feelings. You can write down whatever you want. By writing it out, you’re still getting it out of your head.Once the thoughts and feelings become physical, they’re easier to deal with.The more you talk about it, the more the shadows disappear.
Participate in your recovery
When you get it out of your head and put it somewhere else, it’s like opening up the windows and letting in the fresh air. It’s like the sun coming out and banishing the shadows.Let in the light and fresh air. It will do wonders for your mental health.The biggest player in your mental health is you. You can choose to get help. You don’t have to suffer in silence.Go to the doctor and discuss the possibility of mood stabilizers. Get a therapist. Do those things that you know are certified helpers — like exercise. It’s oversaid, but it’s because it works.
You have to want help in order to get even remotely better.As hard of a pill as it is to swallow, you’re making a choice on how to deal with your depression.You can choose to hide under your covers and ignore it. That’s the easy option.Or you can choose to climb your way out of the hole. It’s not easy, but it can be done.It’s not easy to admit you have a problem. You suffer in silence because depression feeds in the darkness and silence.Your depression doesn’t want you to talk about it. It makes the depression stronger like the depression is the one in control.But if you can manage to get out of bed, then you can make decisions. Decide that you have the power. Decide to share your story. Decide to get help.You hide your problems, only to let them sit and fester. Not realizing that is what makes it worse.But when you let it out, it’s like opening a window. The light pours in, expelling the darkness.Let it out. Write it down, talk to a friend, or go see a therapist.Those problems that live in your head are real, but they don’t have to win.Open the window and let the light in.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health, don’t be afraid to reach out. There are thousands of online resources.
Extra Resources
https://www.nami.org/homehttps://www.mentalhealth.gov/https://adaa.org/https://www.psychiatry.org/https://www.apa.org/Onlinechatshttps://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/https://etherapypro.com/https://www.7cups.com/https://freeonlinetherapy.org/https://talkwithstranger.com/free-chat-rooms/
