The remaining of this month, I want to honor those of us who live with a mental health condition. I definitely want to honor those like myself who have lived with a mental health struggle and depended upon medication. I’m truly hoping that throughout the post I share this month you will find strength and courage to keep fighting, keep going and keep living. I hope you will know that you my friend are not alone in your struggle. The image above is an idea God gave me a few years ago as a way of reminding others to pray for the 1 in 5 individuals who struggle with a mental health condition. Inside of the bottle is 4 beautiful pearls and 1 beautiful pearl that is a mix of a pretty green color and pearl color. This represents the 1 in 5 people who struggle with mental health. Just know if you walk in a room of 20 people at least 4 of you have a mental health struggle. YOU are not ALONE.
So as I have been thinking and preparing for this month to bring awareness to what the world is considering a mental health crisis. I thought the best place to start with is the definition of mental health. I found this definition in multiple places,”Mental Health includes our emotional, psychological and social well being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others and make healthy choices”. So paraphrased in my own words, “Mental health affects the way we think, process and socialize. It helps to determine how we respond to stress which determines how stress affects us. It helps determine how we process social situations and how those environments affect us”. Mental health can affect a wide range of things within our bodies. We oftentimes don’t even realize that it is our mental health causing some of the high emotions that were experiencing. Depression can sometimes come with headaches, fatigue, digestive problems and upset stomach. The fatigue was the worse for me. I felt like it took all of my strength to get up, shower and get dress. I could not really think clearly, it always felt as if my brain was foggy and my thoughts were rushing around inside of my head like racing cars. I was not sleeping at night. Years ago I did not know that all of this was connected to trauma and it piled on top of my mental health. I struggled with PTSD, anxiety and depression. I want to let you in on a secret, mental health matters to God. God does not desire for his children to suffer in silence. God has created resources through the hands of humans that can help our mental health💚.
I must say that mental health struggles look differently on everybody. Some people are smiling on the inside while having an eternal battle inside with depression. Some people are famous actors but battling anxiety on the inside. Everybody has mental health but not everyone struggles with it. I want to let you in on a secret……did you know if you have struggles with stress, you have a mental health struggle. I found out a few years ago that stress is in the DSM 4. In this month I want to honor those who live with mental health struggles. It is real and some days so much more painful than others could imagine. Let’s lift our voice up and share our experiences with it more than just this month. I truly believe that the more we share our stories it takes the shame and stigma away. It strengthens us and those that are impacted by our experience. It helps others know they are not alone. I know it can be hard to understand because it’s not a physical illness but that does not change the fact that it is a illness. It affects our physical bodies and our minds. Honestly I’m so grateful for my journey. I could not say that before but it has made me stronger. It has made me more sensitive to the state of others mental health. I’ve got a greater understanding of the pain because I’ve lived it, fought it and faced it. I am still a survivor and so are you.
Lord, I pray for every person that is living with a mental health condition. I pray for supernatural healing to their mind body and soul. I thank you God that you will place people around them that will walk alongside of them. I thank you for just being God. In Jesus name. Amen
I am a wife, a mother a believer in Jesus Christ and a person who has lived with a mental health condition. My desire is to come alongside of those like me who need support. I will write my real, raw, honest journey through this in hopes that you and I can find strength through it together. Your comments are welcomed and honored here. All I ask is that you be respectful with your words because my journey might not look like yours but it is mine. Looking forward to walking alongside you here in this safe space.
P.S
If your looking for perfect grammar and words placed perfect....you won’t find that here. You will find words that come from my heart and the heart of Jesus, hopefully in that you will find hope. I believe with hope comes the courage to step into the safety of the light.
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