Young people should feel free to open up about their Mental Health

Young people should feel free to open up about their Mental Health in today’s society

I have suffered from bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder for the last 9 years. I am on the road to recovery and learning how to manage my illness and living a fairly normal life. 

 In opening up about my struggles in my weekly articles, I want to show young people that it’s okay not to be okay. I think it is especially hard on young people; they have a perception that they need to be emotionless, strong, brave, cool, ad that need to have their life sorted out at a young age. I think the world needs a real change. Luckily, I am still here today to talk about these issues. 

We are getting to a place where people are able to open up a lot more. But not we’re quite there yet. Young people are affected by this on a daily basis. 

Yet we still do not have the resources to help people immediately in need. 

I was lucky enough to have supportive people in my life. A loving family. Lucky enough to still be here today, able to open up about my struggles. Unfortunately, at the time, my demons took over, I lost friends, isolated myself, self-harmed, abused alcohol; I was living someone else’s life. A life that wasn’t my own, or should I say someone was living it for me. 

I began my recovery through medication, therapy sessions with a phycologist, weekly visits with a psychiatrist.  A well-balanced system that worked for me. I stuck out counselling for almost four years, on and off. It helped me to grow strength and build back up my confidence. 

I am in a much better place now. There are still bad days. But they come and go. I am happy – I put on a front. I socialise, I laugh, I smile, I live. But this doesn’t mean I am indestructible. I am vulnerable and still battle EVERY DAY. 

This is what people need to realise: We do not know what is going on in people’s lives; what’s happening in their minds. For me – it was as simple as a chemical imbalance in the mind. That was all it took to change my life forever. It completely took over me, changed me. I wish when I was that young, hurting, fearing for my life, I should have spoken about it, about how I was feeling. 

I wanted a hand to hold but too scared to ask for help.  I realised I needed help a little too late, and this doesn’t have to be the case, we should speak up, nobody has to suffer alone. 

I want to live in a world where we stop judging, where we stop criticising and tearing each other apart with every little mistake; where everyone who experiences a mental health problem can turn to their family and friends without fear. I promised myself I will fight in every way to help make this possible.  

Now I want to pass my strength to the people who need that hand to hold in their dark times. We need to stand together and gain confidence to speak out! In every dark time there is a bright light. Never give up. Never surrender. Never lose hope. 

Love Ms Bipolar 

X 

You can follow me on Facebook @Mswillowbipolar 

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