Welcome to another Wisdom Wednesday, this topic means a lot to me. If you are anyone who is feeling somewhat down for a long time now, please know you are not alone and talk to someone, releasing all that tension and negativity out of your body will be such a relief - Trust me!
What is mental Health?:
So, according to the Oxford Dictionary Mental Health is defined as:
A person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being. Psychological and emotional well-being I like to believe are two factors that shape who we are, without these factors we are simply robots. We all would be trained to be the exact same,being trained to simply eat and sleep. Mental health affects how we act, think and feel. If this is damaged then it needs to be taken seriously, this is people's lives and the stigma we have, especially us young people about mental health needs to change. It's crazy to believe that some people would give more sympathy to someone with a cold rather than someone suffering with a mental health issues. Let's change this!
People who write about Mental Health only look for Attention??????????
Hate this theory young people come up with! I believe those who are willing to share their stories about their Mental Health issues are warriors. It takes a serious amount of guts to share a personal story, emotions and basically put their lives out there! These Warriors want to help others from preventing it to happen to anyone else, to get others to seek help before it progresses, to raise awareness and normalizes the issue. Mental Health is just like any other sickness so why should there be a stigma towards it? So, next time you see a post about Mental Health why not give it a share rather than an eye roll?
It can happen anyone!
You don't have to be crying in the middle of the street to be recognised as having mental health issues. Mental Health is a danger because unlike other illnesses, the symptoms can be disguised - It can be disguised very easily in fact. For all you know, you're bestie who may be the joker of the group could be really struggling! It's really important to be open about mental health and always text your friends to ask how they are etc, because mental health can be very isolating, a simple text from a pal can do someone the world of good. Always be open minded about Mental Health.
The Mental Health Issue Doesn't Define You-
Instead of saying I'm depressed, say I have depression, instead of saying I'm bipolar, say I have bipolar. Don't equate yourself to your illness, that is where the stigma begins. A little tip, you wouldn't say I'm 24 hour bug or I'm Cold and Flu. Why should Mental Health be any different?
Don't Worry About Others:
The stigma can affect many people with Mental Health Issues. They may feel like they are a burden or they are just feeling silly or stupid, they may feel that they don't deserve to express themselves due to the stigma surrounding Mental Health. You know what I say? People that are negative towards Mental Health are the ones with issues. If you don't feel well emotionally, you have every right to seek help and talk about it! The longer you leave it, the worse your feelings will get!
***SPEAK, STAND UP, SUPPORT AND SHARE***:
Come onnnn Ireland and fellow friends, let's break the stigma! If you see anything Mental Health related speak about it to others, stand up and support the issues. We are guilty of having too many friends we may or may not know on Facebook, however, sharing something or speaking about Mental Health may reach one person on your newsfeed and help them, you never know who may be suffering. We need to create a friendly and supporting space for people who may feel low.
I would like to dedicate this blog to those who have shared their stories about Mental Health online- You are the real Warriors and Thank You!!
It's never too late to speak up about Mental Health!
Take Care,
Niamh!
X
