Mental Health is Not a Trend

Although I'm aware that Mental Health Week is long gone, it still felt like it an appropriate time to write this post. I wanted to talk about metal health in more of a honest way for a while now, but was always held back.

Saying that I'm very pleased that there's more and more awareness around mental health and I think that Mental Health Week proved that, my Instagram account was filled with heart moving post. However it does worry me that there's more people becoming critical of their own health and well being since they think that they might not fit the stereotypical depiction of a mental health illness, and so deem their symptoms not enough.  So on here today I wanted an open conversation about mental health and why everyone mental health is different.

It not a contest & everyone deserves to be taken seriously 

I feel like when mental health is discussed it almost feels like it is battlefield, and there is an element of competition to it, who might be of worse. Now I understand that I might be completely alone in feeling this, but its just something more common I've noticed.  And I know that a little generalisation since there is an incredible community online and in society but I get a little swift of judgement on there too. We are all different that includes having different different symptoms and coping mechanisms, and so someone else symptoms or coping mechanisms should not say less/more,  discount and ignore your mental health struggles. If there was one area in our life's where we should not  compare and compete is our state of mind. 

If someone who might seem all fine and come out with they are struggling it should not be met with judgement and dismissal that could be incredibly damaging. We should not take anything at face value and let that cloud our brain without understanding their mental state. One of the best things about the internet is the gives us the opportunity to connect with one another lets utilise that time to create a safe environment where people can speak openly and safely without the fear they'll be judged, compared or even not deemed enough to be suffering from mental health . 

Lets have that important conversation   

Growing up, mental health was not a topic that was discussed. I don't recall hearing anything about mental health until I was probably around 18 when there was some discussion around anxiety and that was terrifying to think about itself. There was some talk around eating disorders when I was around 15 but then again that was mostly thrown around as an insult and not taken as a serious conversation. If you are a child who grew up in the 90s and early 00's then you might be able to relate to this. I was bought up with the conception that my brain was normal and taken me almost 10 years to understand that our state of mind is fragile whether you a man, women, always emotional or don't shed a tear. There will be times your state of mind could get weak and that does not mean your problematic or gonna end up in a "chained in a nut house". 

Saying that, I understand there still an incredible journey to with mental health, in terms of discussion as well as it becoming more accepted around the world. We have come on leaps and bounds which is amazing for the upcoming generations. Im glad that they won't have to hear thing "oh he's just fuzzy in the head" because its phrases like that they have become incredibly damaging and prevented people from seeking the right help they should have got. Mental health comes in such a huge array of shapes, sizes and its integral to say no one person will go through the same thing. 

Mental health is not one size 

If your currently struggling with mental health or know someone who is then they've probably had to deal with the typical stereotyping that comes with mental health the whole "oh you must do that then". Not the case...

• Depression doesnt always look like not leaving the house. 
• Anxiety disorder doesn't not mean your always feeling panicky
• Anxiety disorder doesn't always involve panicking 
• Eating disorder doesn't involve your avoiding to not eat or binge when you eat
• OCD disorder doesn't always mean you need to constantly need to be clean
• postnatal depression doesn't always mean you don't like to hold your baby 

The list is endless of course, our world is diluted with stereotypes and yeah its easy to put us in a little neat box in their mind. But we have to understand we come in different shape, sizes and colours and so does our mental health. 

My coping mechanism will be different to yours. 

Just like mental health our coping mechanisms will differ from one person to the next. Don't let someone else amazing coping mechanism put you down if it doesn't calm you down when your having an anxiety attack or make you joyous after your long crying session.  

What has helped me.. 

• Exercice 
• Being honest with how am feeling and no taking the long route with how I'm feeling
• making room in my life to take time out when I am a little under
• Learning and educating myself with mental health 
• cutting back on coffee and refined sugar
• not working until I burn out 
• Being considerate to myself 

when it comes to mental health the most two suggested and discussed coping mechanisms and some people have had incredible results with both of them. However it is important not discount or write it off others who it didn't work for 

What hasn't worked for me.. 

• Therapy 
• Medication 

Thats it from me. I hope I have been able to shed some light and do let me know your thoughts on mental health. 

Do your thing girl x