An estimated one in four adults in
America suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder.
That is about 57.7 million people.
Some of us understand it firsthand and
don’t know how to explain what we are feeling.
Some of us see a friend of family member
suffering and don’t know how to help them.
And unfortunately, we live in a world
today where people with mental illnesses are seen as unfixable and broken,
which just makes us feel unfixable, and broken. And while we may be broken, we
are most definitely not unfixable. I truly believe that the number one solution
to mental illnesses is awareness. No, awareness will not make mental illnesses
go away, but it can make people more mindful and conscious of how to treat people
who may be suffering and it can make those of us who are suffering more
comfortable in our own skin.
And so, I strongly encourage you to
share your story. That’s what I’m going to do today.
My name is Kristin and I have a mental
illness.
About seven years ago, when I was in
high school, I began noticing that I was waking up every morning sick to my
stomach. The first couple times it happened, I stayed home from school thinking
I was getting sick. On occasion, I would actually make it to class before the
stomachaches set in. I was lucky that my mom was a stay-at-home mom, so she
often drove back to my school to pick me up early.
Frustrated, I had all of my normal
vitals tested, and the doctors couldn’t seem to figure out what was causing my
nausea. They told me to watch what I was eating, and to document when I was
getting stomach aches. During this time is when my mom suggested that I might
be experiencing anxiety. To this day, I’m not sure where that thought came to
her from, but I’m so glad it did. I made another appointment with my doctor and
after a short discussion he agreed with my mom’s earlier diagnosis and
prescribed me an antidepressant to battle my anxiety. And it worked. It was
amazing. I still had days where I wouldn’t feel completely like myself, but
overall, my problem seemed to be solved.
Fast forward to my first year of
college. My stomach aches slowly returned and were accompanied by frequent head
aches and extreme sleepiness. I later discovered I was also suffered from
gluten sensitivity, but that’s another story. Most of my symptoms were again
related to my anxiety. It was time for a medication adjustment. Unfortunately,
while medications can be a great source of relief, they can require constant
alterations.
Within the last few years, and mostly in
the last six months, I have been experiencing more anxiety than I ever have.
And my lovely brain has decided to couple my anxiety with depression, which is
a little harder to keep a handle on. I definitely experience lower levels of
anxiety and depression than most people, and for that I am thankful. This means
that I am usually able to sleep it off, and snap out of my funk.
However, most people aren’t so lucky and
that is why I am sharing my story with you. You never know what other people
are going through.
A few months ago, in the middle of a
complete depressive break down, I decided that I was sick and tired of people
telling me how to “fix” my problem, and making me feel like my anxiety and
depression was my fault. Not knowing what else to do, I decided to make a post
on Facebook about my mental illness.
Most of my friends and extended family
were completely surprised. Many of them commented that they would never have
guessed that I suffered from a mental illness. But even more people commented
and shared that they too have experienced mental illness in their lives, and thanked
me for being willing to tell my story.
That is what helped me decide to start
this channel.
Not to brag that I was brave, because I
wasn’t. I was scared to death. But my anger towards stereotypes about mental
illness outweighed my fear and I decided to take a leap of faith.
All it takes is one person to share their
story. I hope that by sharing my story today, I am able to help at least one
person feel enough at ease to share their story with someone else. The more
people that share their stories, the more awareness we will build, and the more
resources and love will be available to those who need it.
Just remember: We are all a little
broken, and that’s okay.
Stay positive, my friends.
