Hey y’all!
May is officially and and you know what that means! It’s mental health awareness month! I’m hoping that this time around I’m okay. Pretty recently, I’ve been struggling. It happened slowly and before I knew it, I found myself in a depressive episode. I would come home feeling down about my circumstances but this time, I started to lose my appetite. One day it hit me, I didn’t want to eat. I didn’t want to workout. All I wanted to do was stay in bed (once I got home from work) and cried. It got so bad, I had a headache.
I gave myself grace and allowed myself to feel what I felt. The next day, I was determined to not stay in that mindset. I had to keep pushing. For example, I looked at what I was doing to help my circumstances. I don’t like my body weight and I’m totally aware that this is the body that I have right now but it was also up to me to make sure I was working out and eating healthier, which is something that I was working on. Cool! I’m in therapy to learn tools to cope and to help me get a better outlook on life. That’s great! I have a faith that is growing stronger everyday and I know I can turn to God any time of day when I need to. I remember the love I have from my really close friends and family. And I enjoy the cuddles I get from my cat, Gryffindor.
Is my life perfect by any means? Hell no. Hell, I just released a self-published book (you can purchase here if you want it) but I’m still going through the motions with my mental health. It is a journey and you need to have grace with yourself when you are dealing with a mental illness. Something else that helps is to find healthy ways to cope. Once we accept where we are in life, it will be much easier to move forward. Since none of us will thrive on the same way of healing, it’s up to you to decide healthy ways of dealing with your mental health. It can be setting boundaries with others and yourself. It could be therapy. Maybe its medication or a combination of both. Maybe its exercise and getting healthy both mentally and physically. It can be journaling, meditating, or spending time with friends and loved ones. Maybe even going outside. Maybe it’s even having a relationship with God. The point is do what is best for you!
If you are someone who is struggling with anxiety, depression, or any of the other mental illnesses out there, please know that you’re not alone. Open up (although be cautious who you open up to, not everyone will get it) because you never know who has been dealing with that you’re dealing with. There are a lot of resources out there and I will list a few. I just want you to know that you are loved. Don’t believe the lies your mind tells you. The battle with the mind is truly a tough one. Just take things a day at a time. You don’t have to suffer in silence and alone. It’s not easy but again, know that there is help.You’re not a waste of space. Remember to go where you’re celebrated and not tolerated. Getting a handle on your mental will NOT be easy but it is worth it.
Check out some of the resources below:
- Mental Health resources for Hispanic/Latinx communities
- Mental Health resources for African American communities
- Mental Health Apps for your phone or tablet
- The Unbreakable website
I’m so happy that people are more willing to open up about their own mental health journey. If you’re open to share, what’s your story? Let’s cheer each other on
XOXO,
LolaDasher
Nessa D 