Mental March

Hello, and welcome to March.

March is Mental Health Awareness month, which is something that I have written about many times before. I do not shy away from speaking about my own mental health issues, ranging from major depressive disorder to obsessive compulsive disorder to anxiety disorder etc etc etc. My brain has been wonky since I was a small child, and I have been battling with it longer than I have been battling with anything else. My mother always attributed to my strength to my challenges that I have faced, always reminding me that I have survived every one of my bad days. Due to many mental health issues, I tend to have more bad days than good. However, I have not been blind to the strides I have made in my mental health journey. When I was 18 years old and taken to a therapist for the first time, I could not imagine myself as I am now at 40. To be completely honest with you, I did not expect to be alive right now when I was that age. I thought I would have died through poor decisions of my own making, and it is amazing to me that I soldier on as I do.

Recently I saw this Thread:

Amen to that! The person I was in my 20s was poorly medicated, bouncing around therapists, and generally making bad decisions. My mental health was in a full downward spiral for most of my twenties. I never thought that kind of chaos would end, and then along came my thirties. This brought new challenges and situations and mental health crises, however I found myself much more capable of handling situations as I grew both emotionally and within my therapy. Many of the challenges I felt I had in my twenties that seemed insurmountable became easier to handle as I learned more about myself and how my brain works. I can confidently say at the age of 40 that I think my mental health is in better condition right now than it has been in 20 years.

That is not to say I do not struggle! Lately my bad days are outnumbered by the good, but I do know that that can change in any second.  For instance, not long ago I went off of my mood stabilizer on accident. What resulted from that unmedicated week was a two-day depressive episode that I could not shake. I was plauged by intrusive thoughts, and as I sit here right now I cannot tell you how I made it through that weekend- no, I can. It was my family and friends that got me through. It is very sad to me that many people do not have a supportive security net like I do, which is why I do things like walk for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention every year. I know that depression and mental illness is the main cause of most suicide, and I strive to make access to support easier for all people. I have told everyone I love that if they are ever feeling that they are in a bad mental space, they can call me. Nothing surprises me, nothing scares me, least of all your brain. I will happily wade through the muck of your neuroses if it gives you any kind of comfort in your time of mental pain. I would much rather listen to you go on and on about your problems then have to attend your funeral.

My journey with mental health has been long, but it has been rewarding. I see myself turning into a well-rounded individual more and more each day, as I receive the tools I need to control my emotional instabilities. I was told when I was young that I would probably never be out of therapy, and to be honest with you I cannot imagine a world in which I am. I think people should see a therapist the same way they see a primary doctor. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, which I am sure my constant reader has heard me say before.

And so, I wish you good mental health this month of March. Always know that if you need to reach out, you can, and I will provide you with as many resources as I can. And please look into the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention if you are interested in helping folks overcome their own intrusive thoughts. Finally, I urge you to be open and honest about mental health, and to smash the stigmas surrounding it. There is nothing wrong with your mind that you do not have the power to heal. Just take the first step.

Happy Friday.