May is a month with many important events for people in school including things like graduations and proms. May, however, is an important month for many no matter what age for one specific reason: Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental health is something that many people are afraid to speak openly about due to stigma around their disorders. While many people in society suffer from mental illnesses, it is still a topic of conversation that does not come up too often. This month is dedicated to shedding a light on mental illness and aims to end the negative societal views on disorders.

This month I will graduate college, I celebrated my 22nd birthday, and I was also diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder(BPD). While I knew that I had suffered from other things such as Anxiety and Depression, I always felt as though there was a missing piece to my mental health. Something that I could never place. I was experiencing sudden mood swings which would last anywhere from minutes to hours. I found myself to be very clingy and attached to people easily and fearful of them leaving. Emotions seemed to be heightened extremely and I would be obsessive over things to the point where it would break me down. When scrolling through social media I came across an awareness poster with multiple graphs, charts and sections of information on BPD.

Now, although I am the first one to jump on WebMD and assume I have a brain tumor because my eye itches, I am not one to self diagnose when it comes to mental illnesses. Now I see that you tend to know yourself better than anyone and if the signs are all there then you might be on to something. Shortly after reading up on BPD I spoke to my therapist about my concerns and he agreed that my tendencies, behaviors and actions all point to that of someone who experiences BPD. It was crazy how relieved I felt. In today’s society and for as long as humans have been around, people associate mental illnesses with them being flawed. They hate visiting therapists because then they might learn that there really is a true “problem”. I, on the other hand, felt relived that finally after all of this time I had figured out what it was that I was living with in my own mind on a day to day basis. I also felt comforted by the fact that I was not alone. There were other people out there who were struggling with the same thing.

Mental illnesses are important to talk about and examine. It really makes such a difference to know exactly how you work and the steps you must take to reach a healthier lifestyle mentally. People who suffer from BPD, Depression, Anxiety, Bi-Polar or any other mental disorder, illness or condition are just like everyone else! We can laugh, we can have fun with friends, we can complete our work quickly and truly enjoy life. There are times, however, where that is not the case. Little tasks seem HUGE. Small let downs seem like the end of the world. We start to devalue ourselves, worry that the people around us don’t enjoy us and life just seems a lot more difficult to tackle every day.

It is CRUCIAL for the people who are friends, family, significant others etc with someone who suffers from BPD or ANY other disorder to know that patience is key. You have to love them through it all. You have to understand that they don’t mean to be a downer or angry or uninterested, they simply cannot help it. Let the person know that you are there for them, really take the time to understand what they go through, and ask how you can help. Sometimes they won’t know how you can help, and in that case you must figure it out along the way with them. Sometimes hugging them will help and other times being completely removed from the same room is what they need. There are many people in this world who will do them wrong and because of this they fear that it is their fault. They fear that you too will leave them or stop caring. You MUST always assure them that this is not the case. It might be hard for them to believe you, but every day you must prove it to them. Text them a meme, give them a hug or ask them genuinely how they are doing. All of this shows you care about them and their mental health.

Mental Health Awareness Month is really an important time to check in with yourself and see how you are. It is so easy to worry about others and caring for them, and within that we often lose sight of how we are doing. If you feel as though you may suffer from BPD, Bi-Polar, Depression, Anxiety etc. I highly encourage that you speak to a mental health professional about your concerns. Nothing feels more comforting than being aware of what is happening in your mind and how you can take care of it. This month we feel brave enough to speak out about mental health, but this should be a topic of conversation year round. Mental health is just as important as physical health even if isn’t something we can’t see. Be kind to yourself and to each other and know that you are definitely not alone.