I Have Issues

Yep, I have issues. Many of you (especially my dear husband) will say, "well duh!" ;-)

But I'm going to try to be serious for a minute. Because everyone has their own "issues," their quirks, their personal obstacles... some of them are obvious, but some of us fight some pretty tough battles every day that many never know about.

I just read this amazing blog post this morning. It's about me. My friend Andrea wrote it. She may say it isn't about me, but it really is. She puts it into words much better than I ever could, so just go read it! Please?

Good Girl Gone Redneck: Mental Health Blog Day #mhblogday:  It's Mental Health Blog Day today. I only found out a few minutes ago via Twitter. But I had to participate. I have to. Mental health matters. It matters to me. It should matter to you. (read more)

So apparently today is Mental Health Blog Day, and I didn't know that until I read my friend's post. But I'm going to go with it. I'm jumping in. I'm taking the opportunity to just put it out there. I have a blog - a very new blog without much on it, but it's here. And I have mental health issues. And part of what I'm hoping to accomplish with my blog is to work through some of my issues. To find more people with similar issues. To let other people know they aren't alone. Friends like Andrea have helped me realize even when I feel the most alone, I'm not. Others feel this too. I struggle almost every day with depression and anxiety (among other things). Some days the struggle is harder than others. But sharing with friends can make it a little less hard.

It seems so hard to talk about it. To tell people I have depression, anxiety, maybe more... but it shouldn't be. Do people who break a bone have trouble telling others? Does someone with diabetes have trouble telling people? Do people who wear glasses or contacts have trouble talking about it? Mental health conditions shouldn't be any harder to talk about than physical health conditions. There shouldn't be such a stigma. Others are talking about it more, so maybe I should too. If enough of us start talking about it, maybe that stigma will start to fade a little more...

One of my favorite parts of Andrea's post:

SO many people out there are experiencing mental health related issues, and they're terrified to say so. The stigma that they see? Those words? 

"She's nuts. Crazy." "What is WRONG with him?" "What's his problem?" "I'm tired of her canceling plans. I'm done. Let her find some new friends to cancel on." 

It makes so much sense to you to react this way. I'm not mad at you for doing so. I just want you to understand. Recognize there can be so much more than the eye can see. Use your gut. Sense it. Maybe offer to watch the kids while she takes a shower. Heck, a bath, even! Offer to come over to her house for the playdate. Pick her up if she's afraid to drive. Talk to him about YOUR therapist. Or your mom's. Whatever. Make it real. Make it normal. Make it okay. 

Because it is. It's okay. Really. 

And if it doesn't feel like it is, it WILL BE. I promise.

Yep. Thank you Andrea! I'm blogging for mental health too! Click here for more - http://www.yourmindyourbody.org/apamental-health-month-blog-day-links-round-up-2013/

It is important. It's important to think about, and it's important to talk about.