The stigma surrounding mental health is not what you think you are

A little over two months ago, I was diagnosed with severe depression and prescribed antidepressants. The news was not a big surprise, but it was not less difficult to hear, and since then I have tried to understand and understand that. I am not ashamed of my depression; I am frustrated, perplexed and upset by this, but I am not ashamed. It can always be a difficult subject for me to talk about; It's a complex question that takes time, but I wanted to write this article to emphasize how important and useful it is for me to talk about mental health

What surprised me, it's not easy. is my own reaction

antidepressants was a mixed case. It weighed heavily on my shoulders because I finally had an explanation and a name for how I felt, and knowing what I was fighting for meant that I could find ways to m & # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Attack it. But it was so overwhelming. I was sick and it would take a long time to heal, if I ever did it. It was said that my depression would probably be something that could be managed, but that could never go away. I will skip the long list of side effects that come with the medication; they are normal and affect everyone differently. I still do not adapt to it completely, but the fact that I am already able to get out of bed every day and concentrate on my work again is a huge sign of progress for me.

What surprised me the most? It was not the reactions of others when I told them what I was struggling with. They were all incredibly supportive, especially my boyfriend. What surprised me was my own reaction. I am more than familiar with mental health issues: many of my family members and friends have anxiety, depression or other problems, and I have always since nothing of their fault was there to support them. So why did I have so much trouble accepting that I was the one who was suffering from depression and that was the one who was on medication? I still have no answer to that. I guess that part did not want it, and another part of the way to accept it meant having to deal with it and deal with it. I was surprised to find that the biggest source of stigma was myself.

Read the stories of others and hear about their experiences validated mine

What has helped me to accept it, is the support that I have received . It was hear firsthand how other people had experienced something similar. I spent hours searching the internet for blogs and videos of other people who were living the same thing as me. Every time I read a new ticket, I felt a little better and I understood a little more. The thing with depression is that you feel incredibly alone and isolated. For me, it is largely about negative feelings, thoughts and emotions that are hard to describe and explain to someone who has not known depression, which is only reinforces the feeling of isolation. But my depression also allows me to have a good time: reading the stories of others and listening to their experiences validated my own experiences. It was comforting and reassuring to find that I was not alone as I had thought and that there was light at the end of the tunnel, despite what the depression would do to me. believe.

Raising awareness about mental health is important, it reduces the stigma that surrounds it and helps it become acceptable in society. But the most important reason to talk about mental health, in my opinion, is for those who suffer from it themselves. Mental health is "everything in the head", which does not mean that it is not real but is often difficult to identify or report. Think about it: if the mind that you use to judge reality and formulate ideas is sick, how are you going to be able to see if something is wrong with you, especially if it's all what have you ever known? One day, while I was sitting on my bed crying, a friend knocked on my door and hugged me. They told me that they had experienced something similar and that I had come a long way, just accepting my depression and managing to do two hours of work. It did so much for me; I regained my smile and found strength enough to prepare a dinner.

I have found that acceptance is one of the most difficult things in terms of mental health, accepting that there are no easy and easy solutions. that every day addressed as it comes. It's a process, but getting recognition and validating your experiences and being able to talk openly about mental health is one of the most valuable and comforting aspects of this process.