Mental Health AwarenessPersonal Mental Health Mental

Introduction.

Awareness of Mental Health: Things I Never Spoken Aloud

I’ve rewritten this first sentence like five times. That probably says a lot already.

Talking about mental health isn’t easy, even now. Even after years of hearing “it’s okay to not be okay.” Even after telling people that I support them, that they’re not alone. When it’s your own mind? It hits different.

And the thing is, most people don’t notice. I’ve smiled through so much. I’ve gone to work, met friends, posted selfies — all while feeling completely out of it. You become really good at pretending. Too good, honestly.

But pretending gets exhausting. And sooner or later, the weight shows.

Some Days Just Feel… Off

It’s hard to explain what a bad mental health day feels like. Sometimes it’s loud — like your thoughts are racing and crashing into each other. Other times, it’s the complete opposite. You feel nothing. Just numb

For me, it’s frequently the middle ground. that I am exhausted as soon as I get awake. Not only physically, but in a manner that beyond explanation. I survive the day, but I’m not truly there. My thoughts seems disengaged, even though my body is there. I answer messages, but I don’t feel like talking. I laugh, but it doesn’t really reach me.

And then I wonder: is it just a rough day? Or something more?
That question plays on repeat.

What Help Really Meant for Me

If I had to pick one pivotal moment, genuine would be when someone I cared about said, “Are you truly okay?” and meant it.

Not in a friendly, bantering manner But the kind of way where you feel safe enough to answer honestly.

That question cracked something open in me. And for the first time, I didn’t lie.

I said, “No. I’m not okay.”

And just saying it — not fixing it, not explaining it — helped. It created room for everything I had been repressing. After that, I eventually made contact with a therapist. I won’t claim that it fixed every problem. That did, however, help me accept how I was feeling.

This Isn’t a Motivational Post

I’m not here to give advice. I don’t have five tips to make your mental health better. This isn’t that kind of post.

I just want to say that if you’re going through something right now — if your brain feels heavy, or your heart feels stuck — you’re not weird. Or broken. Or dramatic.

You’re human.

You don’t have to grin all the time for anyone. You don’t need to justify your melancholy. Setting boundaries doesn’t have to make you feel bad.

These include those that understand, even if you’re surrounded by others who don’t. Among them is myself.

Let’s Just Be More Real

I don’t think we talk about this enough. Not honestly. Not without filtering it or trying to make it sound inspirational.

Mental health isn’t always pretty.very occasionally all “recovery” nor “development.” Making going though everyday is all that matters at moments. Maybe which is sufficient. It’s sufficient to stay alive.

It’s acceptable if you don’t want to talk. Do this if you need to cry for no apparent reason. I’m proud that you have when what you’ve accomplished yesterday was getting up from sleep or sip a beverage.

Really.