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i missed World Mental Health Day yesterday. it seems like there's something to celebrate and acknowledge every day, but this one in particular is important to me.
this will not be a pretty thread. it's not happy. but it's real and genuine and that's all i can thoughtfully give.
this will not be a pretty thread. it's not happy. but it's real and genuine and that's all i can thoughtfully give.
it's easy to minimize a person on social media to one-dimension, one who smiles in photos and makes jokes.
"they are so happy," you might think.
i've done it, of course. we all have.
"they are so happy," you might think.
i've done it, of course. we all have.
i would have given anything -- and i mean, anything -- to know that other people - other seemingly happy, successful, driven(!) people - struggle with depression and anxiety when i was a kid. a teen. a college student. when i started graduate school.
when i was in an abusive relationship, i would have given anything to know that it wasn't my fault. that my fear and anxiety made sense, given the circumstances.
i have struggled with a serious anxiety disorder and various degrees of depression for years.
i was in therapy at age 9(!!!) for anxiety. i couldn't breathe at school because i kept having anxiety attacks. i made myself physically ill.
i was in therapy at age 9(!!!) for anxiety. i couldn't breathe at school because i kept having anxiety attacks. i made myself physically ill.
i wish i'd known that i wasn't flawed; that there wasn't something deeply wrong with me that made me unlovable or unworthy.
i've been in and out of therapy since i was 9, but i've been going weekly (or more frequently!) every week for the last 7 years.
i take medication for my anxiety and panic attacks.
i still have a lot of work to do.
i take medication for my anxiety and panic attacks.
i still have a lot of work to do.
for every smiling photo you see on social media, or every thread sharing one's accomplishments, know that there's a human on the other end of the screen with their own struggles.
i sometimes get so frustrated with social media because i feel like people only see a small glossy slice of who i am.
i share this to be as open and raw as possible, to share a larger part. to share that it's okay to be struggling.
i share this to be as open and raw as possible, to share a larger part. to share that it's okay to be struggling.
