"You're just going through a rough patch,
A little bump in the road," so they say.
Yet they don't know what's behind the scenes,
They don't know how you struggle to get through the day.
You say that you're fine.
Convincing them of this is your goal.
At the end of the day,
Your mind feels the toll.
Concealing is easier than facing the facts.
The fear of opening up is so very real.
Keeping it hidden is easier explaining why.
In turn, you just try not to feel.
You look for resolve in every factor of life.
The good seems so distant, no where in sight.
Yet you know the bad days are only temporary.
Somewhere there is hope, a glimmer of light.
The problem is that we can't openly discuss this.
It's easy to sweep things like depression aside.
Locked within the depths of your mind.
You don't want to be labelled by how you feel inside.
If the world was better suited
For mental illness and pain
We wouldn't need to see injury with our eyes
To understand disorders can plague the brain.
Disorders that take visible tolls are easy to look at and say, "You are not well. You need to take care of yourself. Do whatever you can to get better." Yet when it comes to someone who wants to discuss their mental disorders, it becomes an "awkward topic." Why can't we say, "You are not well. You need to take care of yourself. Do whatever you can to get better," to someone with depression the same way we do to someone battling cancer? Many times, those struggling with depression, anxiety, personality disorders, etc. do not open up because they don't want to be labelled as "psychotic" or "crazy." Anyone can fall victim to these mental afflictions. Instead of encouraging unhealthy behavior by alienating those battling mental illness, we should aid them just like we would any other sick person: offering support, remaining by their side, and helping whenever possible.
People who frequently say that they're "fine" or "OK" are typically the ones who are the least "fine" or "OK." They believe that by saying it out loud enough times, they'll be able to convince themselves of this over time. In reality, this just prolongs the issue and leads to a longer road to recovery. Sometimes individuals cope by "suffering in silence." This could be done for a number of reasons. Maybe the individual can not afford treatment. Perhaps they don't feel secure enough with anyone to open up about their issues. Maybe they simply don't want to be viewed as weak. If you think you may be dealing with a mental disorder, it's OK to ask for help. There is no shame in recognizing you have a problem and reaching out for aid. If anything, acknowledging your weaknesses makes you that much stronger. You deserve to be nothing short of extremely and utterly happy.
