The stigma around mental illness has historically created a divide between those who are "ill" and those who are "not ill" as though there are some people who live their lives free from any mental health problems. However, we are lying to ourselves when we pretend not to have experienced grief, trauma, anxiety, adjustment stress, loss, heartache, or hopelessness, which are all aspects of the mental health spectrum.
We all experience mental illness from time-to-time. The longer we stuff our emotions and don't acknowledge that we need help, the more likely mental illness can burrow inside of us requiring more focused and intensive interventions. We are all capable of staying afloat during a mental health crisis and increasing our resiliency or ability to come out stronger from adversity and stress. First, we must admit that we all need to prioritize our mental health needs and to also support others who are tending to their mental health.
May is Mental Health Awareness month. The key point is "awareness" of how our mental health affects us and when to recognize the need for help. The other key point is to focus on prevention. When we focus too much on stigmas and labels then we forget that we are all the same, trying to cope with our lives on this Earth to the best of our abilities while weathering day-to-day stress and hardships.
