Let's Talk Mental Health

My Mental Health

I was diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression--the two tend to go hand-in-hand--when I was in fifth grade. Things have gotten easier for me over the years, but I'm always evolving in my relationship with my mental health.

One thing that I've noticed over the years is that mental health has become a more mainstream topic. When I was first diagnosed, my mom told me to keep quiet about it because kids can be mean and there were many stigmas attached to mental illnesses. Now, twelve years later, I am very open about my struggles and mental health.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five adults--about 43.8 million people--experienced some form of mental illness in the past year. In addition, one in twenty-five adults will experience a serious mental illness that interferes with or limits their major life activities (Source).

Like I mentioned above, I have had quite the journey with my own mental health. I always believed that I had to work to get "better"--meaning, in my mind, that I wouldn't experience any of the symptoms of my anxiety and depression any more. That would mean no more depressive episodes, no more panic attacks, and no more random bouts of anxious thoughts.

However, that's not how things work. Yes, my symptoms have definitely become easier to manage and occur less frequently, but my mental illnesses are still there, and they'll always be a part of me. And that's okay.

I've found my own ways to cope with my issues. I take medication, talk to a therapist on occasion, and try to take the best care of myself, both mentally and physically. It's always going to be a changing battle, but coming to terms with my mental illnesses has helped me immensely.

Mental Health Facts

I thought it would be a good idea to provide some general information about a few of the more common mental illnesses in the United States.

Major depression is one of the most common disorders, along with anxiety disorders. Symptoms of major depression include feelings of sadness or loss of interest for more than two weeks, as well as issues regarding sleep, appetite, concentration, self-image, or suicidal thoughts. 

Anxiety disorders encompass panic disorders, generalized anxiety disorder, agoraphobia or any other phobias, social anxiety disorder, OCD, PTSD, and separation anxiety disorder. These disorders can interfere with everything from small and large every day activities to relationships. 

Bipolar disorder (aka manic-depressive disorder) has symptoms of dramatic shifts in energy, mood, and activity levels on a day-to-day basis. Although mood shifts are normal for most people. those experienced by someone with bipolar disorder are more severe. 

If you are looking for more information about mental illnesses, please use these resources:

• NAMI 
• National Institute of Mental Health
• MentalHealth.gov

xoxo,

Rachel