May 1st kicked off Mental Health Awareness Month and now more than ever it’s important to bring attention the topic!
I’m of those people that’s annoyingly positive all the time and if something does get me down I tend to let it go very, very quickly. I’m ever always optimistic about everything in life. But during quarantine I came into contact with a wide variety of people online that weren’t as hopeful, confident, and positive as I was about life. I also became friends with people that I met on Tiktok that were struggling with anxiety, depression, and other forms of mental illness. I started to educate myself more about mental health in an effort to understand what they were going through. I’ve never really experienced mental illness on a personal level. I’ve never suffered from it and never had friends or family suffer from it either so I had a lot to learn. I do know I started to understand anxiety a lot more last year. I’ve never experienced anxiety until the pandemic but I was very anxious about going to the grocery store or being around strangers last year. On some levels I still feel that weird sense of fear being stuck in line at Whole Foods with a bunch of people who aren’t respecting my personal space.
Saying the past year and half was tough is an understatement. We faced a lot of new challenges and the pandemic impacted our mental health in a lot of different ways. Even people that never experienced mental health issues in the past suddenly found themselves with a new set of emotions and feelings. Life isn’t easy but when you’re suffering from any wide variety of mental health issues life suddenly becomes extra hard. Just the mere act of getting up in the morning to shower can be a challenge for some people!
Your mental health matters. Don’t forget to check in on yourself. Your body and your mind will tell you what it needs if you listen. And don’t forget to check in on others! Call you parents, call you friends, even make an effort to talk to people across social media you don’t know, you can make a big difference in someone’s life even if you’ve never even seen their face.
If you do need help there are endless resources that will help:
- Suicide Prevention Life 1-800-273-8255
- Veterans Crisis 1-800-273-8255
- Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Help 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
- OK2Talk Helpline Teen Help 1 (800) 273-TALK
- Crisis Text Line Text SIGNS to 741741 for 24/7, anonymous, free crisis counseling
If you want to donate to the cause Erika’s Lighthouse is dedicated to helping young teens dealing with depression. They have a wide variety of mental health awareness programs that allows educators and teens to create safe spaces to learn about depression. Their goal is to ensure students know they are never alone and there is somewhere to turn.
You’re like my extended family and I care very much for you all! I hope you know I’m here for you anyway I can be. It’s not easy doing so online but I’m a dm, e-mail or comment away if you ever need an ear or a virtual hug. I think each and every one of you is beautiful and deserving of love. Don’t let ANYONE tell you differently. Please take care of your mind, your heart, and your body.
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