How people with mental illness feel...

I’ve been a bit absent from blogging for a few weeks due to college & regular appointments but I’ve heard on the news the amount of celebrities that have sadly taken their own lives and this just shows how much of a taboo subject mental health still is, even in 2018! 

My heart goes out to all of their families & friends.

So many people suffer alone, they don’t want to worry their loved ones, they don’t want to be judged and they don’t want to be labelled by other people who don’t understand mental health! Since seeing in the news about celebrities taking their own lives, there has been a significant increase in how many people talk about mental health, however, it should be something that is talked about on a more regular basis, physical health is talked about all the time so why shouldn’t mental health be? 

Just because you can’t see mental health illnesses, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist, so many people suffer alone because they are scared. 

‘No one knows what a smile is hiding’ 

Mental health is a massive part of a persons life, but so many people who suffer from mental health illnesses don’t receive the help and support they need and deserve because they are scared of going to professionals, in case they are judged. I myself was ashamed about having a mental health illness for a few months, I didn’t want to speak to people, I didn’t want anyone to know, not even professionals even though I needed the help. Eventually, I found someone I could speak to, she wasn’t a mental health professional but she was a professional and someone who gave me a safe space to talk. This helped me realise that mental health illnesses are more common than people think, she was someone who pointed me in the right direction to the right help and support, it took me a few weeks but I did refer myself and it was the best thing I did. 

Now, a few months on I’m engaging with services to help with my mental health, I’m currently receiving counselling which I was very sceptical about at first but now I’ve met the counsellor I feel a lot more comfortable. Counselling is not for everyone, but this is what I need. It is a safe space for you to open up and talk about your problems, it is a person who is not family or a friend and they won’t judge. Sometimes family and friends are not the best people to talk to as they give their opinions but a counsellor is a ‘stranger’ and they don’t know anything apart from what YOU decide to tell them, they are there to listen and support you. I find talking to people who don’t know me easier but everyone is different, some may find it easier to talk to friends & family. 

Mental health needs to be spoken about a lot more. So many people don’t understand and this can be very frustrating especially when people say things like ‘just get over it’ no...no...no don’t ever say this to ANYONE, illnesses such as depression are not something you can just get over, it’s not just sadness, it’s a lot more than that! 

If this subject was talked about more, maybe people wouldn’t feel so alone, sometimes a question such as ‘are you okay?’ could help someone open up and this is essential when you have a mental illness, it’s important to talk instead of keeping it in. 

Sometimes all a person wants is for someone to say ‘I’m here if you need a chat’ and this could even save a life, if people know they have someone to talk to it may make them feel less alone. 

If it wasn’t for that one lady who gave me a safe space to talk, I would never have found the courage to talk to anyone, let alone professionals. 

What I want to get across is that mental illness isn’t visible, but that does NOT mean it doesn’t exist! If you take anything from this post please let it be that! 

Be more aware of mental health, not only physical health and make sure you look after your mental health just as much as your physical health!