Hey y'all!
Today I'm coming at ya with some MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and you know I'm an advocate for this!!! I have been dealing with mental health issues since I can really remember. My Mom will tell you it started in 9th grade. I'm not sure when it struck, if it has been there since birth, or what caused my high functioning depression and anxiety. What I can tell you is that I can't remember not having anxiety/depression and that my grandmother and great-grandmother both had manic depression (commonly known today is bipolar disorder). Genetics? Possibly. Nature vs. Nurture? Who knows... What I do know is that I've learned to cope, some days are harder than others, and if you catch me on a bad day I'm a full on B*%&.
Let's talk facts: (You knew this was coming right?)
1) 1 in 5 American adults will experience a mental health issue. 1 in 25 has a serious mental illness.
2) Suicide accounts for 41,000+ deaths each year in the US
3) Most adults do not seek treatment because of social STIGMA. (Only 44% receive treatment.)
4) 20% of our youth have a mental health condition.
5) MOST PEOPLE THAT LIVE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS LEAD PRODUCTIVE LIVES
_______________________________________________________________
I have been living with Anxiety and Depression for years. How many of you knew that? I'm pretty open about it, but some people don't know and find it hard to believe.
How does my anxiety/depression affect me, you ask?
I have a steady job but when I get home, my brain shuts down. I just want to sleep, ALL OF THE TIME. I love pajamas... and have lots of them. A warm shower, lotion, clean face, clean teeth and bed at 7pm is not unusual for me. I don't have the regular energy that most people have. That's because throughout the day, my body produces a lot less serotonin than someone without anxiety. Serotonin is what keeps you happy, energized and motivated... I produce a lot of dopamine... which keeps you calm.. and I produce a lot of it to "not freak-out".
I take 20mg of one of the top 3 antidepressants every day. I am not a zombie. Yes, I can tell a difference without it. One of the major side effects is weight gain.. HELLO, got that one. I also take Omega-3 fatty acids and a multi-vitamin daily.
I can have a panic attack anywhere at any time.. Worst place I've had one: driving down the road in traffic. I fight my panic attacks. HARD. And on one occasion, I didn't pull over like I should have. No wreck happened, but it definitely came close.
Caffeine is a no-no. I don't follow the no-caffeine rule... AT ALL... (See above about no energy and my previous post about coffee), but I can tell when my body says, "Hey, that's enough now. We can only handle so much here." Usually, this comes with a fluttering heart rate which leads to all kinds of other stressors.
Scents can trigger my anxiety. An ex-boyfriend used to wear Polo Black. Can't stand it anymore.. triggers the anxiety and I get sweaty almost immediately (and not in a good way). He wasn't a great boyfriend or person for that matter.
I often get paranoid. I think people are out to get me, set me up for failure, think I'm a failure, don't want to be my friend.... the list goes on. It's cool. I'm fine. It's fine. HA. I have found no way to cope with this than to just try to keep it at bay until the next day starts and I forget about it.
High functioning depression and generalized anxiety disorder have helped me be more organized and I always have a back up plan. I began my organizational Type A venture in college and after. Anxiety helped me achieve that. I was tired of losing things.. (anxiety makes you absent minded).. I was tired of not being able to find things... (I should own stock in TILE mates).... and I ALWAYS, ALWAYS have a back up plan. So, I guess these are positives.
Mental Health issues plague this country harder now than they ever have. Why? Lack of funding, a pharmaceutical company strangle-hold on the mental health education, and a sheer stigma for anyone with a mental health illness.
_______________________________________________________________
WAYS TO HELP!
How can YOU help people like me? Talk to your local government leaders about better mental health research funding, and allowing more ease of access to treatments and services. Right now, in the town I live in, there are no psychiatrists or psychologists accepting new patients. NOT ONE. I would have to drive an hour+ away to see a specialist in my disorder. That's not cool.
You can also go to curestigma.org and take the stigma quiz. Together we can #curestigma.
Volunteers are always welcome. There is a volunteer helpline at NAMI. You can click here for a link to all of the ways you can advocate and volunteer with them.
________________________________________________________________
To anyone reading this that suffers with mental illness, I hope this post lets you know that you are not alone. You are not inferior. You are amazing. You are just as unique and inspiring as anyone else in the world. Don't forget that.
I am always here if you need me.
If it's ever too much.. Call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.... 1-800-273-8255.
I love you all with all of my heart.
xx-T
Today I'm coming at ya with some MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and you know I'm an advocate for this!!! I have been dealing with mental health issues since I can really remember. My Mom will tell you it started in 9th grade. I'm not sure when it struck, if it has been there since birth, or what caused my high functioning depression and anxiety. What I can tell you is that I can't remember not having anxiety/depression and that my grandmother and great-grandmother both had manic depression (commonly known today is bipolar disorder). Genetics? Possibly. Nature vs. Nurture? Who knows... What I do know is that I've learned to cope, some days are harder than others, and if you catch me on a bad day I'm a full on B*%&.
Let's talk facts: (You knew this was coming right?)
1) 1 in 5 American adults will experience a mental health issue. 1 in 25 has a serious mental illness.
2) Suicide accounts for 41,000+ deaths each year in the US
3) Most adults do not seek treatment because of social STIGMA. (Only 44% receive treatment.)
4) 20% of our youth have a mental health condition.
5) MOST PEOPLE THAT LIVE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS LEAD PRODUCTIVE LIVES
_______________________________________________________________
I have been living with Anxiety and Depression for years. How many of you knew that? I'm pretty open about it, but some people don't know and find it hard to believe.
How does my anxiety/depression affect me, you ask?
I have a steady job but when I get home, my brain shuts down. I just want to sleep, ALL OF THE TIME. I love pajamas... and have lots of them. A warm shower, lotion, clean face, clean teeth and bed at 7pm is not unusual for me. I don't have the regular energy that most people have. That's because throughout the day, my body produces a lot less serotonin than someone without anxiety. Serotonin is what keeps you happy, energized and motivated... I produce a lot of dopamine... which keeps you calm.. and I produce a lot of it to "not freak-out".
I take 20mg of one of the top 3 antidepressants every day. I am not a zombie. Yes, I can tell a difference without it. One of the major side effects is weight gain.. HELLO, got that one. I also take Omega-3 fatty acids and a multi-vitamin daily.
I can have a panic attack anywhere at any time.. Worst place I've had one: driving down the road in traffic. I fight my panic attacks. HARD. And on one occasion, I didn't pull over like I should have. No wreck happened, but it definitely came close.
Caffeine is a no-no. I don't follow the no-caffeine rule... AT ALL... (See above about no energy and my previous post about coffee), but I can tell when my body says, "Hey, that's enough now. We can only handle so much here." Usually, this comes with a fluttering heart rate which leads to all kinds of other stressors.
Scents can trigger my anxiety. An ex-boyfriend used to wear Polo Black. Can't stand it anymore.. triggers the anxiety and I get sweaty almost immediately (and not in a good way). He wasn't a great boyfriend or person for that matter.
I often get paranoid. I think people are out to get me, set me up for failure, think I'm a failure, don't want to be my friend.... the list goes on. It's cool. I'm fine. It's fine. HA. I have found no way to cope with this than to just try to keep it at bay until the next day starts and I forget about it.
High functioning depression and generalized anxiety disorder have helped me be more organized and I always have a back up plan. I began my organizational Type A venture in college and after. Anxiety helped me achieve that. I was tired of losing things.. (anxiety makes you absent minded).. I was tired of not being able to find things... (I should own stock in TILE mates).... and I ALWAYS, ALWAYS have a back up plan. So, I guess these are positives.
Mental Health issues plague this country harder now than they ever have. Why? Lack of funding, a pharmaceutical company strangle-hold on the mental health education, and a sheer stigma for anyone with a mental health illness.
_______________________________________________________________
WAYS TO HELP!
How can YOU help people like me? Talk to your local government leaders about better mental health research funding, and allowing more ease of access to treatments and services. Right now, in the town I live in, there are no psychiatrists or psychologists accepting new patients. NOT ONE. I would have to drive an hour+ away to see a specialist in my disorder. That's not cool.
You can also go to curestigma.org and take the stigma quiz. Together we can #curestigma.
Volunteers are always welcome. There is a volunteer helpline at NAMI. You can click here for a link to all of the ways you can advocate and volunteer with them.
________________________________________________________________
To anyone reading this that suffers with mental illness, I hope this post lets you know that you are not alone. You are not inferior. You are amazing. You are just as unique and inspiring as anyone else in the world. Don't forget that.
I am always here if you need me.
If it's ever too much.. Call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.... 1-800-273-8255.
I love you all with all of my heart.
xx-T
Comments
Post a Comment