Mental Health
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We are all human with a brain (at least I would hope so) and that means that anyone can develop an mental illness. It is something we all share so you would think it would be common knowledge but it has not been shared openly in the past. I believe that is because there has been a huge stigma about mental illness that has been around for a very long time. We are very quick to judge others who are different than us or who seem what we would call 'crazy' or 'weird'. In the past I think we looked down on the mentally ill because we didn't understand the human mind like we do today. They seemed unstable and dangerous so we got locked up in asylum's and kept them away from the rest of society instead of really helping them. In my mind that is where the stigma today still lingers from, but what do I know?
Not everyone is open about their mental health for their own reasons and that is okay. I do not think anyone should feel obligated to tell their story but for the ones that do, even if they do not go into huge detail, it helps not only you but anyone who might be experiencing something similar. It really is a huge relief when you hear that someone else went through something similar to what you went through. Even if it is just generally similar. It just serves as a reminder that we are all in this together. I remember watching this guy's TedTalk about his struggle with depression and I remember watching it before I got on medication and it really stuck with me. Reflecting back on it now I think it stuck because it reminded me of how self-isolated I felt at that time but it is something many of us struggle with as well so we are not alone as we think we are. Watch it, I highly recommend. Click here for the video.
I think it is pretty safe to assume anyone you meet has experienced some type or amount of trauma, whether they want to or can admit it or not. But I also don't think it should be excuse to treat anyone else badly. We need to stop and take the time to fully heal from our trauma then figure out how you can move forward and grow from it. Easier said than done, believe me I know. It is going to be a work in progress so be patient- there will be good days and bad days, but at least you keep trying. Keep working on yourself or else you will end up hurting yourself and others.
Even though we are all human we are all so different in many ways as well. If you think about it you are the only version of you that will ever be. We all have different pasts and experiences that we rely on to make decisions. We all experience things in different ways. One person whose parents divorced will deal with it differently than you might. Some of us had better childhoods and were closer to our parents than others. We should always keep in mind that what works for some might not work for others so try not to judge. Trauma is trauma, no matter what kind or how severe. Just because someone else had it worse than you doesn't invalidate your trauma any. I think sometimes we get so caught up in our differences that we think that life is a competition but it isn't. If you think about it the only person you are truly in competition with is yourself.
Sometimes your worst enemy is yourself. I know I stand on my own way all the time. That is why we have to learn to love ourselves first, however you learn to do that. For a lot of people they need help with that and that is where mental health resources come into play. I will include some resource links below to check out. I think in a lot of ways we are going to come out of this pandemic stronger and one way is mental health. I have noticed it is being talked about more, mainly in regards to how the quarantine has affected us. Though it is a step in the right direction, that is not all we need. I think we need easier and more affordable access to it. Getting a job does not always mean you will have access to affordable mental health benefits. Even with insurance therapy can be expensive. Though to be honest even with insurance a lot of medical things are still expensive. But I will save that for another post. :)
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