Oh, it's #MentalHealthAwarenessDay

What up. I have ADHD. I have a mood disorder, not quite bipolar (which my mother has), but enough to be on mood stabilizers. I have anxiety. I have depression. My depression is somewhat rooted in circumstances, but also brain chemistry.

I've been on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds (Wellbutrin, among others). I'm currently on Adderall. I'm on Lamotrigine. These meds don't turn me into a zombie or keep me artificially happy. They help me be functional and capable--the kinda person I want to BE.

Lamotrigine helps me go to bed, when my brain chemistry says, "Stay up for three days straight, look how productive you are!" Adderall helps me focus when my brain chemistry says, "Check Twitter! No, Facebook! No, Discord!" Wellbutrin got me out of bed when depression lied.

Folks can come at me with their suggestions of diet and yoga and hikes all they want. (They do this for my physical illnesses, too, like sure Jan, my bones will suddenly heal if I start freebasing turmeric). That's just gonna get you blocked.

This thread isn't for those people

This thread is for everyone out there struggling. With getting their mental health under control, with accepting that they have to struggle with their mental health, with talking to people who don't agree that mental health is both a Real Thing and a Big Deal and deserves care.

I've mentioned this before in other threads, but in one larp I played in, there was a phrase we'd say to each other in greeting: I see you, survivor. It was a call-and-response to verify good guys, sure, but it was also a moment of connection in a world that was full of pain.