mentalhealthawarenessweek

This was me in mid-2020, smiling like I haven't just finished an agonizing shift at work where I cried for a whole hour because of how terrible the workplace was that it made my anxiety worse.

I stayed there for a few more weeks because I felt like I had no choice - job loss was everywhere and I was told to be grateful I had a source of income. Soon, I eventually let go. The choice was keeping a job vs. keeping my sanity. I chose the latter.

In 2021, two years after my first initial diagnosis of MDD and GAD, my doctor told me I have Borderline Personality Disorder and PTSD.

I continued on a path toward healing, only to encounter a labyrinth of medications and therapies. It was a rollercoaster of trial and error. I persisted, determined to find calm amidst the chaos within.

And though anxiety still plagued me, it became more manageable.

To help my anxiety, I learned grounding techniques and healthier coping mechanisms:

👉Cooling ice cubes in the palms of my hands to ground me in the present moment.

👉Breathing exercises and prayers brought tranquility to turbulent thoughts.

👉Writing became an outlet for my emotions, a safe haven to pour my heart out onto paper.

👉I turn on my comfort show - The Big Bang Theory - in the background as white noise.

👉Put my headphones on to isolate the voices in my head and focus on the voices of SB19, Hayley Williams, Lewis Capaldi, and Ed Sheeran.

❤️And of course, bask in the comfort of my unwavering support system - my loved ones.

As I navigated the depths of my own struggles, I became an advocate for mental health.

Raised in an environment where the façade of strength was paramount - vulnerability has been deemed a weakness. I was forced to conceal my own feelings and thoughts. However, this journey taught me the power of openness and vulnerability. It shattered the barriers that confined me, enabling those around me to do the same.

I volunteered for my local community's mental health programs and became public with my own struggles. To my surprise, friends and even strangers began to reach out, sharing their own stories of pain. I became a safe space for others, offering solace and understanding to those who felt unheard and alone.

It became one of my goals—to be a refuge for those who lacked someone to turn to, to be a compassionate ear for both friends and strangers alike. Through my advocacy, I aimed to bridge the gap and let others know that help is available, and that they need not suffer in silence.

As we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week, I am reminded of the strength born from struggle.

My mental health journey has not only shaped my own resilience but has also ignited a fire within me to foster a more empathetic and understanding society.

With each conversation, and each shared story, I, along with thousands of advocates and individuals in this community, strive to break down the stigmas surrounding mental health, offering a ray of hope to those who may have lost sight of it.

I have discovered the transformative power of compassion, vulnerability, and human connection—a power that can inspire healing and ignite a sense of belonging in even the darkest of times.

#MentalHealth #tohelpmyanxiety #mentalhealthawarenessweek #BPD #Anxiety

You know your place in society when it’s #mentalhealthawarenessweek and people pretend to care but no one actually recognizes the struggle you go through and commends you for it vs any recognizable “career” appreciation day.
Where I live in Canada, our PM Justin Trudeau made an announcement about mental health at the beginning of the week making it look like he cares. Yet mental health treatment is not covered under our universal healthcare. Seeing a psychiatrist is but it often takes months to years to get a referral to see one. We don’t have a universal drug coverage plan so if you’re not working and you require mental illness prescriptions you’re left to pay for it yourself.
Psychologists charge anywhere from $150-$250+ an hour which is grossly out of reach for most people.
People who are on disability who can’t work are living far below the poverty levels despite the PM promising a new disability credit which when there was no mention of during his first budget plan in years.

I don’t understand how politicians can come out during these “awareness” weeks pretending they care when they’ve done absolutely nothing to help us!

But when it’s a national insert any particular “career” day they bend over backwards with praise for these people. Meanwhile those of us battling mental illness are often shunned and ridiculed and looked down upon still in 2021!
I’m tired of being treated like a second class citizen because I can’t work and have chronic pain and illnesses of my brain.
Are our lives less important? #MentalHealth #Depression #Anxiety #mentalillness #MentalHealthAwareness

Good Morning Mighty Family

Its Monday........... Again

I have my coffee a mug full and I'm full of kindness ready and waiting. 😉😁😀

Even if its Monday Morning
The 🌥 is trying to peek its head out in the sky. Here in the UK.
Looks like a lovely day ahead.

Coffee and Kindness seems good to me. Doesn't it do wonders to you ,when someone is kind to you or you are kind to someone else.
A little bit goes a long way. A smile or Hello , especially right now, when people are scared, be kind, be thoughtful,

To yourself too. Be kind to YOU.
Love n hugs Tj
Always here for You
❤🤗😘🐶🐕🐈🐱🐾🕊🌈🌥🌝☀️🌞

#Bekindtoyourself #Bekind #loveyourselves #coffee&kindness #checkonyourneighbours #Lovenhugs #RareDisease #MondayMorning #Coffeechats #ChronicIllness #Lovelyday #sunnyday #ChronicPain #smile #Sayhello #Selfcare #pampering #mentalhealthawarenessweek