Don't let anyone tell you not to take a medication to treat mental illness. Don't let anyone tell you you're weak because you take medications. Medication is sometimes a necessary part of treating a mental illness. Sometimes it can take years to find the right medication or the right mixture of medications.

What Is A Mental Illness?

A mental illness is a condition that affects a persons thinking, feeling, mood and/or behavior. It can affect how someone relates to others on a day to day basis. There are over 200 classified forms of mental illness. Examples of mental illness include: depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and addictive behaviors. The most common mental illnesses include major depression, anxiety disorder and bipolar disorder

Signs and Symptoms of A Mental Illness

Sudden change in mood or behavior may be a sign that someone may have a mental illness. In adults strong feelings of anger, suicidal thoughts, dramatic changes in eating or sleep patterns are some signs they they may have a mental illness and should seek help as soon as possible.

What it Feels Like to Have A Mental Illness

We can be difficult to love, have a quick temper, be easily aggravated. But we will love you like no other person could ever love you. We may not show it all the time or even 20% of the time, but we do love you. Our anxiety takes over when other things have to be done or there is so much going on we can hardly think straight. This isn't something we choose to have. It happens at random moments. We can be happy one minute and the next we want to hide under the covers and never come out.

How Medication Actually Helps Us

Medication improves the quality and outlook on life for most people with a mental illness. If it means we can hold a job, pay attention in class, function in society and hold back from choking someone, then that's what it takes. There is no shame in taking medications to help with daily activities. I used to think taking medications made me weak, then later discovered I actually NEED them.

Finding Friends With the Same Mental Illness Makes Life Better

Sometimes you can't always talk to your significant other or family members about these problems because they don't have a mental illness, they don't have a clue what you're going through. Finding other people who go through the same thing with you everyday, someone who can relate to nearly everything you say because they have the same problem makes you feel like you're not so crazy after all.

How To Cope

Many people will deny that they are having symptoms of a mental illness. But when they come to their thought that they may have something wrong with them, some ways to deal with it is to seek counseling or find friends or family members. As said before, some people don't feel comfortable talking to family members about this, but seeking help from friends or a support group will give you the opportunity to talk to other people who are experiencing the same type of problems. Therapy can also be very beneficial. Just taking a walk in the park or around the neighborhood for about 10 minutes will help you to let go of a lot of anger and stress you have built up.