If you didn't know, May is Mental Health Awareness Month. If you read my pieces, "I Am My Own Biggest Obstacle When It Comes To Living My Best Life" and "I Need To Stop Feeling Lonely When I Am Alone," you'll know I am not one to be shy about the topic. I'll tell you my experiences if you don't understand, I'll be a listener to your problems, and I'll try to help you find ways to assemble an arsenal for the battle within your head.
I've been battling depression and anxiety for as long as I can remember, been through many therapists trying to find the right fit, and taken to the emergency room multiple times due to certain episodes affecting my health. I'm not telling you this because I want you to pity me, I'm telling you this so you can understand that it's a real problem. If people are letting you know about their feelings on social media, most the time they don't want pity but to be heard.
I don't want your pity, I just want your understanding.
Not everyone's anxiety and depression are expressed the same. Some people's panic attacks show through irritation, shutting down, crying, or becoming sick. It's important to learn the symptoms so you can help others the best you can. Giving them space is sometimes the best way to help the situation.
The absolute worse thing you can do is tell that someone going through a very real struggle to "just get over it."
Anxiety is a complicated illness that most of the time doesn't make sense. I used to have panic attacks going to movie theaters, restaurants, and other people's houses, just to name a few triggers. I knew I was in a safe place and that nothing would happen to me, but the rest of my mind didn't want to believe that.
I finally found a therapist I love who has given me so many new ways to express my feelings and control them while also explaining why I feel the things I do. The mind is so interesting to me, it's one of the main reasons I became a psychology minor, so I could learn more about myself.
I express my feelings through art, whether that be writing, painting, photography, or animation.
I know I'm not unique in this. I've heard the saying "You can't spell paint without pain." But I also feel these pieces of work are sometimes the most moving.
After saying all this, I want to emphasize again, I don't want your pity, I just want your understanding. Don't be annoyed when I cancel plans at the last minute. Instead, help me through the anxiety and know it's not personal.
If you know someone is battling mental illness every day, letting them know they have allies will never hurt. I promise.
