It’s time to show up for yourself, and for others.
I listened to an amazing talk this past weekend on Mental Health. Reyna Aburto said:
“When we open up about our emotional challenges, admitting we are not perfect, we give others permission to share their struggles. Together we realize there is hope and we do not have to suffer alone.”
Feeling depressed and anxious are two emotions we can *all* relate to. At one point or another in our life we have each felt anxiety and depression. The loss of someone we loved, or a beloved pet, anyone who has felt tremendous love for someone, and have that loved one pass away, would equally feel the pain of depression.
Sometimes when someone suddenly is abandoned or is faced with a huge amount of responsibility that they don’t feel prepared for, they would understandably feel an incredible amount of anxiety.
It’s when those emotions are constantly present that something may be wrong.
=======
Just like any other organ of the body, the brain is subject to illnesses.
=======
Some peoples hearts don’t beat at a normal rhythm and needs medical treatment. Sometimes kidneys and livers don’t perform their function in an expected way, and requires life-long treatment. Sometimes people who otherwise appear to be fine, sharing emotions just like we do, have an underlying condition in their brain that requires medical treatment – or the risk of not getting treatment can result in suicide, just like other chronic illnesses would result in death without proper treatment.
– Jane Clayson, ‘Silent Souls Weeping’
“When those who are depressed lose their fear of being blamed for their condition, opportunities for both love and miracles are created. Healing may not come right away or in a literal fashion, but when stigma is lifted, so too is the heavy burden of shame.”
It’s time to show up.
It’s time to toss out the masks that hide our true feelings…
It’s time to step out of our caves that we wrongfully made a permanent home…
It’s time to use our words. It’s time to say, out loud, “I don’t feel like myself today”…
It’s time to hold up a sign that reads “I need help”…
Because if you don’t, I will, and if I do, so should you.
It’s time to show up for you…
It’s time to show up for others…
It’s time to kick out the stigma, and speak out to the world that the brain deserves just as much sympathy, kindness, and understanding as those who also struggle with a chronic illness such as cancer or heart disease… your brain matters too!
It’s time to remind others that just because you can’t see the part of the body that’s “bleeding” or “broken” doesn’t mean that there is no real – persistent – agonizing pain.
We are survivors…
We can choose to make this day our best day – because we are finally living out loud…
We are no longer hiding…
We are no longer alone…
——-
It’s OK to not be OK…
but it’s NOT ok to not ask for help…
——-
It’s time to show up.
It’s time to hold up YOUR sign that reads “I need help”…
Because if you don’t,
I will,
and if I do,
so should you.
It’s time to show up today…
tomorrow…
and the next day.
—–
Please share to remind your loved ones to show up 💚💚