F acing Your Fears: Why It’s Okay to Talk About Mental Health Overcoming Fear to Have an Open Dialogue About Mental Health "Every time you avoid talking about mental health, you lose a piece of yourself." In this post, we will explore the reasons behind this fear, share effective strategies to foster honest conversations, and highlight the positive impacts of openly discussing mental health. By addressing our fears together, we can create a supportive environment for everyone. Fears That Arise With Mental Health Discussions: Fear often keeps us from discussing mental health openly, but breaking this silence is crucial. Overcoming the fear of having an open dialogue about mental health can lead to: Understanding  Support Healing Some common fears include: Stigma and judgment :  This includes judgments and assumptions made about people with mental illness. Keep in mind, that even though you have a mental illness does not mean that you do not direct those stigmas and judgments t...

Tips for Staying Positive Through Holiday Ups and Downs Why Holiday Cheer Can Be Overwhelming Not Everyone Exper iences Holiday Cheer...and That's Okay! Let's be honest—everyone doesn't feel the warmth, festivities, and holiday cheer. For some, the season can be: A painful reminder of separation from friends and loved ones due to isolation A harsh reminder of the loss of loved ones A time that amplifies feelings of loneliness and hopelessness You Are Not Alone in Your Experiences: Why It's Okay to Feel Overwhelmed During the Holidays I've had my share of both good and tough holidays. There have been times when I've avoided holiday gatherings because: Socializing can feel overwhelming and draining.  I know I struggle to hide things like anxiety, so sometimes it's just easier for me to take a step back from friends and family.  I have been so depressed that I have no energy to socialize let alone leave my house.

On this page, you will find some national mental health resources! Consider looking closer to home for local and community mental health resources. The list below is just a few resources that I think are reputable and helpful! National Institute of Mental Health (NIH):  https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI):  https://www.nami.org/ World Health Organization (WHO):  https://www.who.int/ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA):  https://www.samhsa.gov/ 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Text or Dial 988 or visit:  https://988lifeline.org/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=onebox For more updates click here !

Rediscovering Hope: Life Beyond Depression "Depression can feel like facing a long, dark hallway without an end. But there is a light at the end of the hallway and yes, some joy too." Understanding the Darkness Before we discuss finding joy, it’s important to understand more about depression. It’s not just feeling sad; it’s a weight that makes everything seem gray and heavy. A bad day can feel like a bad lifetime. According to the APA (American Psychiatric Association), some general symptoms of depression include: Mood: sad, anxious, hopeless, and irritable Loss of interest in activities and hobbies Eating more or less than usual Difficulty sleeping Tired or decreased energy I can relate to all of the symptoms mentioned, and there have been times when I've experienced them all at once. It took me a while to realize that the way I was feeling wasn’t just a bad mood or something I could just “snap out of.” Recognizing that what I was going through was part of an illness m...

Give Your Mental Health A Voice I started this blog to shed light on the symptoms and experiences connected to mental illness. If you are living with depression and anxiety you might often struggle with symptoms that aren't always obvious. Mental health and mental illness are not something that everyone understands or even acknowledges. This can be due to cultural norms, societal norms, and of course the dreaded "s" word , stigma. I admit that I have let the stigma surrounding mental health affect how I view my experiences.  "I put undue and unfair pressure on myself to not act or feel a certain way." I've often felt uncomfortable with my own experiences, and I haven’t always been the kindest or most patient with myself. But that's something I'm actively working on—and it's a change that will keep unfolding. The world outside can be tough enough, so it's even more important that we learn to be understanding and compassionate with ourselves....