Part II: You’re Not Alone.
One of the hardest things to do is to acknowledge and accept the fact that you are struggling, especially if it is something to do with depression, anxiety, or other similar issues. We don’t want to admit that there is something wrong, many of us don’t like to ask for help, and is difficult to accept the fact that we are struggling with something to do with mental illness, due to the massive stigma.
But you honestly don’t need to feel that way, because you’re not alone! Every year, there are millions of people diagnosed with some sort of mental illness; some mild, some severe. There are also many people who suffer in silence, perhaps in denial, or afraid to reach out for help. I know that for me it was very daunting and confronting to reach out for medical help with problems like these in the beginning. I was afraid, and didn’t want to admit that I had a problem, especially one that had to do with “mental health” – the thought of being diagnosed with a disorder like depression or anxiety (or both!) absolutely terrified me. But it didn’t need to scare me. Since I reached out to some close friends, who then encouraged me to reach out further, to a pastor/counsellor, doctor, psychologist, or similar, it has been so much easier. It was difficult to accept the problem, and I felt as though getting a doctor’s diagnosis placed me “in a box”, but acknowledging the problem and reaching out allowed me to get the help I needed. I’m still seeing a psychiatrist, I am on medication temporarily, and no things aren’t perfect, but they are so much better than they were even several months ago. Because now, I know that I’m not alone – I know I’m not the only one who suffers from these issues, and I know that I have some amazing people who support me. You might feel like you are alone in your struggles, and that people will look down on you if you admit that you are fighting these battles. But that isn’t true. You don’t have to fight alone, soldier, there are always others who will fight alongside you. You are loved. You are here for a purpose. And you are never alone.
There have been times where I just haven’t wanted to keep going, when I have just wanted everything to be over, to go to sleep and not wake up. I’ve felt isolated and alone, hurting, and defeated. But by reaching out, I changed that. Maybe you feel that way too. And if I can change it, so can you. Falling apart, I reached out to someone, and that first step got me through the rest. The journey isn’t over, but I am no longer travelling it alone.
Please reach out to someone, whether it is family, a friend, a pastor or teacher, or your doctor. You are so worth fighting for, because every life is beautiful, and every life has a purpose. Every day more awareness of mental illness is being raised, and slowly, I believe the stigma will be broken down. Something that I love is that so many people are wearing jewellery, clothing, and even getting tattoos, of the semicolon ( ; ) which represents “My story isn’t over yet”. The semicolon is used when the author could have chosen to end their sentence, but they did not. That sentence resembles your life. Don’t end it. Keep going. The rest is still unwritten.
People tell you it is all in your head… but that’s why it is a mental illness. Of course it is all happening in your head. But that doesn’t mean it is not real. It means that you have an illness, which can be treated, and even cured, just like other illnesses. It’s nothing to be afraid of or ashamed of, so there is no need to hold back. Please speak up. Reach out. Don’t give up the fight. There are people who specialise in this, so that you can get the help you need. And there are people who love you, so there is no need to be afraid to reach out and talk to someone about how you are feeling. There are millions of other people who fight this same fight, and there are so many people who will walk along beside you so that you don’t have to feel as though you are suffering alone. Because you are not alone.
There is one more thing. Even if we don’t have the close people to support us, we can always know that we have the Lord on our side. As he says in Hebrews 13:5 “…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee”. He won’t leave us alone! No, being a Christian does not mean that life will always be easy. But we have the hope of it being okay in the end, and we can have faith that we will never be alone, because that is what He promised us. So please, don’t give up. You are amazing, you are loved, and you are not alone. Talk to someone – friend, family, pastor, counsellor, or even shoot me a message through the blog contact page, or via the Simply Life Facebook page. I care, and I know others do too. 🙂
If you want to share some of your story, or if you need someone to talk to, or even have any random feedback you might like to share with me, I would absolutely love to hear from you <3 message me at any time.
But please, if you are seriously struggling and/or feeling suicidal, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, or https://www.lifeline.org.au/, or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or https://www.beyondblue.org.au/. Don’t wait, because you matter, and people care. <3
Julie xo