Mental Health Awareness week takes place every year in the first full week of October. So, in regards to the recent Mental Health Awareness Week, I thought it might be a good idea to compile a list of things that need to stop being said to people with Mental Health Disorders.

1. "I get anxious/nervous/stressed sometimes too."

Yeah, when someone has enough courage to open up to you and lets you in on the fact that they suffer from the mental health disorder that is called anxiety, a proper response is not "Oh, I get stressed sometimes too." Stress and anxiety are two entirely different things, and their anxiety is not something that needs to be belittled, it is something that needs to be supported. Be there for them, Support them, stop telling them that you get stressed out sometimes too, because believe me, it is not helping.

2. "You can't just be sad over nothing."

First of all, depression cannot be simply be narrowed down to a single emotion. Depression can range from feelings of anger, sadness, and even no feeling at all. Second of all, depression does not need a big event to make it rear its head, a song on the radio can be all it takes for someone to go into a depressive episode - it just depends on the person.

3. "I'm SO OCD."

Let's get this straightened out - just because you feel the need to have all of the papers on your desk straight and aligned does not mean that you have OCD. OCD is feeling the need to control every aspect of your life, and then double checking just to make sure everything is how it is supposed to be. So, no, being organized is not the same as having OCD.

4. "You are overreacting."

Granted, this is probably something that you shouldn't say to anyone other than those that are extremely close to you, but you really shouldn't say this to someone who is suffering from a panic disorder. You might think that they are overreacting, but to them, it might feel like their whole world is caving in like a giant elephant is sitting right on their chest. No, they are not overreacting, they are just trying to process what they can.

5. "It is up to you to get better."

While this phrase is true to an extent, it is not solely up to them to get better. In order for a person to get better, they need a solid support system. They need people who will be there for them, no matter how tough it gets. So please don't say that it is up to them to get better.

6. "You need to distract yourself."

This is like telling someone with a busted head to just put a band-aid on it. Telling someone who is dealing with a mental health disorder to just distract themselves is the same thing as telling them to avoid confronting the issue at hand. It is ineffective and it can have a bad spin on the mental health disorder already at hand.

7. "You don't look depressed/anxious."

That would be because your mental health does not have a direct impact on your disposition. A person could be all smiles in person and on social media, but on the inside, they are battling a monster much bigger than you can imagine. Telling someone that they look happy so how could they possibly be depressed/anxious, is not going to help what they are going through.

8. "You are doing this to yourself."

By all means, do not say this to someone with a mental health disorder. They are not doing this to themselves, why would anyone ever inflict something as grueling as that upon themselves? You cannot choose the state of your mental health, you cannot choose whether or not you want to be depressed or anxious or not.

9. "There are people who are worse off than you."

Yes, there probably is someone who is worse off than them, but that is not the point. The point is that they took a step, a big step, by telling you what they are going through. They more than likely know that, they did not need to be reminded, they simply wanted your support.

10. "You shouldn't medicate, it's bad for you."

The medications were administered for a reason, and it certainly wasn't for the flavor. Medications help a lot of people with Mental Health Disorders, they make everyday tasks that used to seem impossible, manageable and sometimes even enjoyable. The medication is not bad for them, it can help them turn the corner on their depression, and if not that, it can help manage it.

The stigma surrounding mental health is beginning to dissolve and come into a more positive light. If we can all take note of these simple phrases that we would never think anything of, we can play a part in that great movement. All that it takes is a little consideration and empathy.