I am pretty sure that on December 31, 2019 at 11:59pm, many of you all thought the same thing as I did, 2020 will be my year! I mean, it’s the year 2020! How exciting!!! Now we are almost halfway through the year and many of us are ready of it to be over. We are in a pandemic due to the COVID19 (who would’ve ever thought). And even in 2020, we are still fighting the war on racism in this country. To add fuel to the fire, we have a political culture that makes me cringe. With all that said, all this takes a toll on your mind and mental health. 

With the current state of the world, so many people are battling with anxiety and depression. These are both mental struggles that many people deal with. But each day, millions of people battle mental illness in this country beyond just anxiety and depression and those include PTSD, Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia, and OCD just to name a few. Many who are battling a mental illness are undiagnosed. Unfortunately, undiagnosed (and sometimes diagnosed) mental illnesses leads to self-medication, in which people turn to drugs and alcohol to combat what is going on in their mind. Mental illness affects individuals and their families. Additionally, mental illness can be linked to homelessness, crime, poverty, and abuse (physical, mental, and substance). 

In my own experiences, I feel that we do not have enough conversations about mental illness. Even in many churches, there is not a lot of dialogue related to mental illness and issues related to our mental health. Many people are ashamed or afraid.  There are so many misconceptions and stereotypes related to mental illness. People are afraid to ask for help or do not want to talk about what is going on. The shame can be related to the person affected or a family member who has a loved one battling a mental illness.  

It is important we have these conversations. The more we bring it to light and become educated, the more we can help those who need it. So many people are bound by mental illness, but as they seek help, they find freedom. Help can include therapy, medication, and various organizational supports throughout the community. 

I have a family member who struggles with mental illness, but I am not ASHAMED. It took a toll on our family for years. But we are stronger together as we have supported that family member and each other. This person is beautiful, valuable, and strong. With conversations and supports, they have been able to get the help they needed. 

Mental illness does not have to overtake you or your loved ones. Be educated and empowered knowing that your mind does not have to control you! Change the dialogue and misconceptions about mental illness. 

With everything going on in the world, it is important that we remember how much self-love is important. Self-love means taking care of your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health!