Those of you that have followed or have been connected to me for more than a minute know how much I believe in mental health awareness and destigmatization.
I come at this topic from deep personal experience. Not only do I suffer from several anxiety and stress disorders, but I have also gone through periods of intense depression off and on throughout my life.
Depression triggered by my journey to discover, come to terms with, and eventually embrace my sexual identity and gender expression.
Depression triggered by moments of professional failure, job loss, and change.
Depression triggered by sexual assault and rape.
Depression triggered by grief, including the loss of my mother, my brothers and my sister.
Depression triggered by debt.
Depression triggered by my relationship with food and body issues.
Depression triggered by relationship ups and downs, both romantic and familial.
For so long, I avoided therapy because I believed I had the ability to self-cope. After all, I had survived, right? Then, when I finally went, I realized there were healthier and safer ways to cope and benefits from conversation without judgement or opinion.
For long after that, I avoided seeing a psychiatrist because I was scared of an official diagnosis. After all, I knew I had depression and anxiety, right? Then, when I finally went, I realized how much understanding and defining what you are experiencing can help you effectively battle the symptoms.
For even longer, I didn't talk about my experiences, and the ones I shared were the ones with the least amount of stigma attached to them. After all, the experiences were my own, right? Then, one day, I ripped off the bandaid and began talking, and what I found was a community waiting to show me I was not alone.
This day is more than a hashtag. This issue is more than a day, week, or month.
Mental health must become the center of the conversation.
Despite how trite the saying is - it is true. You are not alone. There are so many people who are going through the same thing. There are so many people who are right there with you. There are so many people who are in your corner.
If you ever need to talk, my DMs are open.
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