Depression: The Shame & Being Honest With Yourself
What Is The Issue With Mental Illness
At some point in our lives we will all experience some type of mental hardship. Currently, there are millions of people worldwide who bear a mental illness, yet, more than half of them do no seek help. Why? One of the most frequent reasons given was they did not want to be judged or perceived as inferior. But, should the shame and fear of being treated differently outweigh maintaining your mental wellness?
My Personal Battle With Mental Illness
In my experience with depression, I became angry with myself because I couldn’t come to terms with my break-up and move forward. Day after day the sadness hovered and interfered with my mental clarity. I refused to think of myself as mentally weak and I was too embarrassed to reveal to my friends and family that I was still troubled about a relationship that had ended ages ago.
The affects of the split upset me deeply. Uncomfortable emotions surfaced and lingered that I did not want to deal with. So, I spent a lot of time running away from my true feelings and hoped that one day time would make my inner struggles disappear. Until then, I took sleeping pills and kept myself busy to escape the pain of my aching heart. Every area of my life was disrupted! I couldn’t work, sleep, eat, interact with others or physically take care of myself. Nothing was enjoyable to me anymore and I lost the desire to participate in life.
Heal’n My Mental Illness
Because my mental state was not improving, I figured it was time to dig deeper and get honest with myself. I swallowed my pride and accepted that my condition was real. I have always been extremely emotional and allowed my feelings to rule me. I was desperate to find a way to help myself because I knew if I didn’t; I would end up accidentally overdosing.
I hit the internet and began researching how to heal a broken heart. I read a jillion self-help articles! They all suggested that I take a good long look at ‘me’ and seek ‘within’ to find the real reason I was so unhappy. Since all of my previous efforts to heal my heavy heart failed, I took their advice and hired a therapist. I was tired of hurting! Accepting and admitting to myself that I had a problem I could not manage on my own was the starting point of my self-healing journey.
Step 1: Admit to your problem and that it makes your life unmanageable.
Remember For Your Heal’n
Before you can repair any issue with your personal self, you must first confess that a part of you needs your full attention. Otherwise, if you avoid it or look for fault in others, healing will not take place. Take some time away from all the distractions in your life and spend time alone to identify what needs mending. Be gentle with yourself and commit to your healing.
Let’s Talk & Heal Together…
Are you currently toiling with an issue that you are trying to manage that is not healing? Leave your comment below.
