Mental illness is currently experiencing an unprecedented period of awareness.

Unlike in years past, there is an open conversation about issues like depression, BPD, ADHD and anxiety, among many others. While there is much more left to be done, our current society has made efforts to help the millions of Americans who suffer from mental illness.

You see it everywhere now; written into movies, discussed on talk shows, in gyms and yoga studios, and especially on social media. Just like with weight loss or acne, everyone thinks they have THE cure for mental illness. What is usually titled 'self-care' is the most common method offered to those who suffer from the likes of anxiety and depression. Usually, this includes bubble baths, journaling, going for walks and washing one's face.

This tactic attracts the uninformed and the desperate and is not only shallow but dangerous. A magic waist wrap won't help you shed pounds and neither will a face mask cure your depression.

No one wants to think they're suffering enough to need medical and psychiatric help.

There is still a strong stigma against taking antidepressants. Often times, taking pills is seen as excessive and a sign of weakness. Everyone wants to be strong, and the idea of relying on pharmaceuticals is perceived as the opposite of that. Critics will say you're giving up or masking your problems when all you really want is a little help.

Trust me, I know. I've been taking antidepressants and antianxiety medication since I was a freshman in high school. Seven years later I'm still happily taking my Lexapro every night. I've also come a long way with managing my mental illnesses through therapy and sheer will, but I doubt I'd of done this well without medication. It really does help.

But some people are scared or heard horror urban legends about medication, or just don't want to try. So they go out looking for the magic cure from internet gurus. What they receive back is helpful, but incomplete. It's most likely self-care.

So they buy Lush out of face masks, spend two hours a day in the bath and drink more tea than the Queen. In result, you might be a little more positive and have cleaner skin, but that underlying gnawing pit of sadness won't be sweated out after a few rounds of yoga.

And some settle for the short bouts of relief they get from self-care when they should be using this as the first of many stepping stones to a better life.

Let me get this straight, self-care is not bad, but it is not the cure for mental illness, despite what some might think.

Drinking water and bullet journaling will never replace the help of a trained therapist and the right antidepressants can give you.

The many forms of self-care are amazing first steps to bettering yourself. One of the best things they can provide is a greater sense of self-worth. Many of those who are mentally ill have low self-esteem and don't consider themselves 'worth it'.

In the darkest places of my own depression, I couldn't even make myself brush my teeth or change my stained t-shirt. Doing face masks, taking a bath, or just drinking water forces you to focus on yourself and to take care of your body. These handfuls of moments build up and help to build self-helping habits. They snowball into more and more productive actions.

If you can brush your teeth today, then tomorrow you can take a shower and then next week or in a month or in a year you will realize you are worth saving. You will glimpse your potential and reach out for help. It might start as just researching or talking to a friend, but doing something is better than nothing.

Self-care is to help you get there and to continue to build you up. Taking time to better yourself will boost your self-worth and improve you physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually, as long as you don't rely on it to cure you.

Self-care should be unique to you and your needs. Not everyone receives the same benefits from every action. Take time to discover what builds you up.

Maybe it's picking up a new hobby, or just picking up your dirty laundry. Personally, washing my face twice a day is a self-care habit that I live by. The two or three minutes it takes not only refreshes my skin, but also my mind. I'm able to wash the day off and start new. The healthy and glowing skin only helps that!

Mental illness is a difficult issue that has no one clear path to recovery.

The best person to guide you through such difficult times is always your doctor and therapist. They are trained to provide you with the best help necessary and can prescribe you the right medication when necessary. Don't let yourself suffer more than you already have. It takes a lot of bravery to take that first step, but every step afterward is so much easier.

Do one thing, one tiny little thing for yourself. It's self-care, and a start.