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It Gets Better!

  It Gets Better!

                                     
Photo credit: Nappy

As the curtain closes on Mental  Health Month, I felt led  to share my story with my readers. But before I go any further, I would just like to remind you of a few things. 

Mental Health Awareness is important. 

Your mental health is important. 

Your thoughts matter. 

You matter.

It is no secret that there is a common but undeserved stigma attached to mental health. Whether or not we want to admit it, everyone  has mental health. Just as one is concerned about their physical well-being, the same should apply to their emotional well-being. 

However, this utopia does not exist and many of us neglect to take care of our minds. Being raised in the Caribbean I have noticed that we do not talk about our feelings, we do not share what is bothering us and we seldom reach out for help. This may be that we are too ashamed or we are afraid of being shunned. 

 

There is nothing to be ashamed of. There is nothing wrong with seeking help. In fact, your mental wellness should be at the top of your priority list. You must take care of you in order to take care of others. 

    My Story.


   

I have always battled depression (as far as I remember); I do not remember a time I was not depressed about something. My breaking point came two years ago, when I encountered waves of depression for reasons I will leave unnamed. I just recall being in a terrible place. I barely ate and all I wanted to do was sleep. A few people noticed but the people closest to me did not and this made me more depressed. 

I came to realize that I had to do something to save myself; to keep me from drowning in that sea of depression. So I sought help. This was one of the best things I have ever done for myself. My therapist helped me to identify my triggers and to eliminate situations which are not conducive to my well-being. I am doing much better and I still see my therapist now and then. 

 

    How You Can Help Yourself.

Seek Help.

 

Instead of beating yourself up or sitting there feeling sorry for yourself, I would advise you to seek professional help. Talking to friends may help, but a professional is equipped to deal with your underlying issues and help you regain balance.


Also, you should NOT go around diagnosing yourself or others. That is the professional’s job.


Identify Your Triggers.

As you embark on this journey, you will have to learn to be observant of your behaviour in your surroundings. You are going to have to pin-point what sets you off, what weighs you down and what heightens your fight or flight senses. You need to ask yourself these questions: 

What causes me to feel this way? 

Why am I downcast? 

What initiated this bout of depression? 

What about this place makes me feel worthless? 

What about this person makes me feel unworthy? 

 


Healthy Environment.

Once you have figured out some of your triggers, it is now your responsibility to avoid them. In some cases it may be difficult. If it is a job; it may be time to find a new job. If it is a parent, sibling or relative; you may need to avoid that individual and when you are ready - interact with them but in small doses. 

“What if where I am/live now is a trigger for me?” You need to move. 

If you do not try to help yourself, you will always feel this way. There's a great big world out there. It is time for you to make that move you have always wanted to (perhaps after Covid-19 dies out).


Connect.

 

I can not stress this enough. It is important that you connect with like-minded people. You are not meant to go through this alone (none of us are). 

You matter. 

Your mental health matters. 

Community matters. 

 

 

For further reading, use the links below:

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week

 

https://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Awareness-Events/Mental-Health-Month


You may also want to listen to I am Light by India. Arie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ism8dBjxKvc


 

Living with a mental illness or disorder, especially during Covid -19, can be difficult. Know that you do not have to go through it alone and you have the option of reaching out. It is imperative that you speak to yourself every waking moment; "Things will get better". Things will get better. But you need to believe it.

 

 Also, do not be afraid of sharing your story, you never know how many lives you can save or minds you can strengthen. Feel free to email to share your story. I love a good survivor story, after all we are all survivors. 

 


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