Struggling with mental illness is a hard-lived process. It is filled with confusion, exhaustion, doubt, fear, and a litany of emotions. Most of all, it is the constant internal struggle of believing negative thoughts and lies that you are a burden, that you are not enough, and that you are not worthy of human love and care.
While in my hardest periods of depression, anxiety, OCD, and anorexia I found it hard to combat the thoughts that I was alone.
“Nobody wants to hear this.”
“They can’t help you.”
“Your friends are going to get annoyed and stop talking to you.”
These are the most insidious thoughts I started to believe when I was in my valley.
Such negative thoughts are pervasive and convince so many of us to avoid asking for help, to silence our pain, and to suffer silently. This leaves you stuck and searching for relief.
If you’ve believed you are a burden because of your mental illness, let me be the one to tell you –
YOU ARE NOT A BURDEN. YOU ARE WORTHY OF CARE. YOU DESERVE JOY.
People Truly Care
One thing I found when opening up about my internal struggles was the overwhelming amount of love I have around me. My friends, family, church community, and doctors all surrounded me with care and understanding.
Common humanity is what draws us all together. We are all connected by care, empathy, compassion, and love. You would be surprised to see how many people will come forward to support you and hold your hand through mental illness.
You Are Not Alone
So many people struggle with mental illness. Depression and anxiety infiltrate the lives of the greater population without others ever knowing. I say this to press the fact that whatever you are experiencing with mental illness, there is another person likely experiencing it too.
We cannot believe we are alone in our struggles. There are others with similar experiences that are likely to believe they are alone too. Mental illness thrives in isolation and keeping it a secret only perpetuates negative thinking.
Know that other people also experience living with mental illness. Seeking support from these people may help normalize what you are living with, guide you toward healthy coping, and create connections to support healthy thinking.
You Are Worthy
I will only emphasize my point again – you are not a burden because you have depression, anxiety, OCD, an eating disorder, or any other mental illness. You are not alone in your suffering. You are surrounded by people who care about your wellness.
You are worthy of the love you receive and you are worthy of recovery. Seek support, speak your truth, and step into freedom from suffering silently.