"Ugh, another dumb article telling me to not give up! What bull."

This is something I would have said just last year, but now I am on the other side and I will explain why. At face value, this open letter may appear cheesy, dumb and just like the thousands of other articles out there that address mental illnesses. However, I have learned that sharing my experiences and being open is the only way people pay attention, which is something that is direly needed in today's society.

Despite the recent efforts of celebrities speaking out about mental illnesses, a huge stigma around the topic still remains. Nobody has the same mental illness, so it can be difficult at times to understand. While two teens may be depressed, the form of depression is not the same. Similar, maybe, but not identical. Unfortunately, those who have mental illnesses such as myself tend to hide them instead of getting help.

I started to believe I had mental illnesses in the sixth grade. I did not say anything to anyone at first. I thought it was something unimportant - after all, physical injuries and illnesses were the only health problems we really spoke about in school and if someone was extremely stressed to the point of crying before a test, it was brushed off as "just some nerves." As I went through middle school and early high school, I remained silent. In fact, I never told my parents that I thought I was mentally ill, my counselor did. One of my friends I had opened up to alerted my counselor about it, and though I was upset with him at the time, I now am forever thankful for what he did. My counselor contacted my parents and I began to receive help, and I am currently happier than I ever have been. I graduated from high school a year in advance and was able to begin college at the age of 16 as a second-semester freshman.

Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like now if I had never received help. I imagine I would be a high school drop out, making excuses to stay at home in bed rather than work or go spend time with friends and family. I cannot fathom how miserable I could be right now if this were the case. I would most definitely not be living up to my full potential, and I am certain that I am not the only one who is scared of an ending like this. Mental illnesses are hard to understand, even to people who suffer from them.

You may believe that you are worthless because you cannot force yourself to get up and give a presentation or you may believe that you are hated because you do not talk to anyone. You may think people will say you are crazy if they find out you hear voices or have delusions. I am here to tell you otherwise because I had those exact same fears. I know what it is like to constantly be on edge and feeling like you belong in the gutter. Mental illnesses are not something you can fight alone. It can be scary and hard to open up, and you may be wary at first, but in the long run, it is definitely worth it. You are not weak for getting help. In fact, you are strong. You do not have to face whatever illness you may have alone. Get yourself an army, and beat that illness into the dust. Did people ever win wars alone? No. They won them with support from others.

My best advice is to start small. Talk to your dog about it, or even just a mirror. Be as patient as you can when talking to others about it, because they will ask a lot of questions, some of which you may not have the answer to just yet. It can take a while, but the least you can do is try. Do not be afraid of appearing helpless or stupid. You are not. You are strong and smart. After all, you have made it this far. You are a fighter, and you will be okay. Some people take longer to find the courage to ask for help, and that is perfectly fine. Go at your own pace and decide what works best for you. What works best for me, for example, is a mix of being hospitalized, therapy, and medication. As I said before, everyone is different. Religion may be what works for you while therapy twice a month may work for somebody else. There are options out there, and whether you believe it or not, you are not alone.

This link will take you to a website containing multiple mental health hotlines and other referral resources.