We're over half-way through 2016, and people still find it acceptable to shame those with mental illness. Did you know that 43.5 MILLION adults will suffer a mental illness in each year? Or that 50 percent of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14 and 75 percent by age 24?
Statistics prove that mental illness is real, and it's taking a toll on people around the world. So why are we continuing to put people down? Why are we not taking a stand to make a difference?
We live in a society where people are afraid to get help. That's the reality. People are afraid. People are ashamed. People are embarrassed. Why? Because we want to feel independent, normal, and strong. Those that ask for help are seen as "weak" or "too dependent." We want to be accepted.
Yet, when we don't ask for help, we spiral downhill and become unhappy. We look at our every day lives wondering where the heck we went wrong. We cut important people out. We act on emotion instead of logic. We overthink during the early hours of the morning when your brain just won't seem to shut off. The thirst for approval in our everyday activities becomes a necessity to make sure we're headed in the right direction to be "successful."
According to Merriam-Webster, to be successful means to have achieved a desired result and/or achieved wealth, fame, or respect. Ah-Ha. Why does wealth and fame tie into the word successful? Sure, it is something to be proud of to be any of those things listed above, but those can also be daunting.
As a twenty-something college student, I am often asked what my future consists of. I typically respond that I'm a business student, and hope to make my way up the chain in HR or Marketing. Simple as that. Responses are typically, "Wow, that's fantastic! You'll be ranking in the dough. Wise choice." But while that is what I'm passionate about, I have friends that move mountains in areas such as teaching and social work. When asked about their futures, they get responses like, "Oh. Are you sure you want to do that? I hope you're looking forward to being poor forever. Most people don't make very much doing that, it won't pay off."
When we respond to others like that, we are single handedly destroying their self esteem. This leads to them rethinking their future, changing their goals and desires simply because they feel as if they are unaccepted. THIS is unacceptable. THIS is a reason mental illness is growing. And I don't just mean putting down someone for their major in college.
This starts from the time we are born. The time we first go out in public. The first day of school. The first day at a new job. Every person on this planet is different. We have different aspirations and things that make us tick. Each person has different strengths and weaknesses. Each person comes from a different culture, or background. And that is okay. Because if every person was the same, we would have too many in one profession. We would have nothing to converse about.
Why am I writing about this? Mental illness has affected my family. I have lost countless friends, classmates, and even a family member to suicide. I have family members battling depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and many more things every single day. I battle mental illness. And as I was talking with a dear friend earlier this summer, they told me that things were getting bad again and they didn't know what to do. I simply asked, "Have you considered getting help?" And their response was, "It's not bad enough for that yet."AMERICA. WAKE UP.
Suicide is the SECOND leading cause of death in ages 15-24, and the TENTH leading cause of death in the world overall.
WHY ARE WE WAITING UNTIL THINGS GET HORRID TO GET HELP?
If we are aware something is wrong, why do we not reach out? If we get help we can understand the source, learn about whats going on, find different solutions or what is triggering it and learn ways to prevent it from happening in the future. Some times we can't prevent it, but knowing how to cope with it will make the dark times easier.
Mental illness has been around for years. So I'm asking two major things.
The first being, if you are sad, talk to someone. Please reach out. You don't have to wait until rock bottom for things to get better. There is always a solution, or something to make a situation better. Please do not wait until it's too late. You are bigger than any fear. You are bigger than your struggles. It's a tough journey no matter what, but it is so worth it. Life is precious.
The second being, lets begin building up those around us before we tear them down. Think twice about what you say to others. Don't be negative. One of my favorite things in the world is hearing my best friends talk about their passions and aspirations. The way their eyes light up and their skin radiates joy. If you pour positive thoughts and encourage those around you, you are raising someone else's self esteem and believing in them. You are making a difference. If someone does something phenomenal in your life, speak up and tell them. You could make/change their entire day.
You are fearfully and wonderfully made, it's time to act like it.
