It’s Okay to not be Okay

Wistful Wednesdays

I don’t really have a lot of forethought with these types of things. I just kind of sit down, spend an hour or forty-five minutes typing my thoughts and then look back and see if I can focus it up a little. That being said…

Let’s talk about mental health for a minute. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear those words? Mental health. It’s okay, you can be honest. Maybe its an image of a friend or loved one. Maybe its an image of someone sitting alone in a padded cell talking to themselves. Or maybe its an image of that crazy girlfriend/boyfriend you broke up with last week.

The words mental health cover a wide array of conditions and situations.

I personally struggle with depression. Most days I can put on a happy face and a jolly demeanor when I need to but because my pain is inside, most people don’t even know how I struggle to get out of bed some days. Mental health isn’t always obvious on the outside making it difficult to understand to people who have never been through something similar. I would have to admit that I occasionally share the same sentiment as some of my pears in saying that there are times I wish I had a physical illness in order to be seen as having an illness.

The way I feel like our society views mental health could use a lot of work. I know we’ve come a long way but there’s always still more to do.

“How are you doing today?”

That question is thrown around so easily with barely a second thought. I personally hate that question. It is usually said in passing. I’ve said it. You’ve said it. And we all expect the same answer: “I’m fine, thanks! How about you?”

What if it was okay to not be ‘okay’?

What if you could say, “Actually, I’m struggling today,” or “I feel really depressed’? What if we could be more honest with how we’re feeling?

I know that since I’ve been in a group where I could be honest, I’ve felt more like I am not alone. Imagine all of those people struggling with mental health could be more honest about their thoughts and feelings. Maybe that stigma with mental health diseases would disappear with the knowledge that you are not alone.

 

A Slightly Hopeful Writer