Darkness to Dialogue: Living Well With Mental Illness

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...

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 !

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....

Please enjoy this snippet! The official debut of my mental health blog is November 6th! The final name for the blog and the first blog article will be featured then.  Give Your Mental Health a Voice I started this blog to put a voice to the symptoms and experiences associated with mental illness. Living with depression involves dealing with not-so-obvious symptoms. Imagine not being able to sit in the dark because you feel like it will swallow it up, it feels like the walls are closing in and you feel like you are suffocating. That is how I describe the feelings of hopelessness and helplessness that I experience when I am experiencing the  symptoms  of depression.  Going through the daily routine becomes taxing and is done on autopilot with minimal energy.  Then, the detachment and feelings of disassociation set in... This blog is dedicated to myself and others who struggle with any mental illness. I hope that being candid, authentic, and honest about my experie...

Breaking the Silence: Why Mental Health Conversations Matter Have you ever wanted to talk about your mental health but decided not to? If so, what held you back? For many, mental health topics are difficult to understand or relate to, which can create discomfort. Mental health and mental illness are no exception to this. According to Dr. Patrick Corrigan , individuals with mental health conditions often remain silent about their experiences due to the stigma and discrimination they face. It wasn’t until just a few years ago that I began to feel more comfortable discussing my struggles with mental illness—specifically, navigating life with depression and anxiety. For a long time, I kept my experiences to myself. However, as I started to open up, I realized that talking about mental health is essential for healing and breaking the stigma surrounding it. Join Me for a Mental Health Conversation Next Month With the holidays approaching, now is a crucial time to continue the conversation ab...