Real Talk: It’s Ok To Not Be Ok Sometimes
By: Gemma Lawrence
Tags: Mental Illness, Mental Health Awareness, Mental Health

Oct 10 is World Mental Health Day, so I wanted to take a moment to talk about this important topic. It’s topic that really matters to me because depression, anxiety, low self-worth and other related issues affect so many of us every single day.

I have personally suffered from depression, and at times really bad anxiety in the form of panic attacks for the last 3 decades intermittently. When I hit all-time lows there were suicide attempts and it’s really scary to think that I got close to ending my life — but when you are consumed with negative thoughts, and in so much pain, you just become desperate for a way out — and suicide is a way out.

Living With Mental Health Issues

Depression, and suicidal thoughts are a constant black cloud over your head that no one else can see. It’s a deep sadness that won’t go away. It’s feeling hopeless, demotivated, constantly tired and drained. Every day is an uphill struggle, and when you are feeling so paralyzingly low it just feels like life will never be better, that you will never feel anything but completely miserable and there is no end in site. Even just getting out of bed or doing basic tasks becomes such a struggle.

I remember at one of my lowest points I couldn’t get down the stairs of my family home — stairs I had walked up and down for years were suddenly too difficult for me and I was coaxed down them by my mum on my butt. Depression can literally be paralyzing.

We All Know People Who Struggle Sometimes

So many of my friends and family have or know people impacted by mental health issues, but it just always seems like we don’t talk about it enough. So many of us put on a happy face to mask times of intense sadness, and often we just don’t know what our loved ones may be struggling with.

I hate talking about it, and I had to persuade myself to write this post and write posts on my social media accounts about this. The vulnerability that comes with admitting that you’ve struggled isn’t easy. It can be really painful to talk about, and it exposes us. It means that we have to show up and be real when it’s hard to do so, not just when life is good. But I think it’s SO important that we talk about. Mental illness is not a personal failure.

Be Kind To Yourself

If you are finding life hard, as many of us are, you don’t have to pretend that everything is fine if it isn’t. In fact I encourage you not to, and I want to just remind you that it is always OK to not be OK, and it’s also ok if you don’t have everything in your life figured out because let’s face it who does. So be kind to yourself. Be kind and respectful to others. Let’s support each other in these crazy times. You are never alone.

I want my blog and my social media accounts to be a safe place to land, where my inbox and DM’s are always open. I am committed to being real and authentic in the way I show up and I genuinely hope to build meaningful connections.

Sometimes we can’t get out of our own way to ask for help or we just don’t to be a burden so always check in on your loved ones. Sometimes just a hey, checking in on you text or call can make the world of difference when someone is struggling with mental health issues. Now, even more than ever, in these crazy times, we need human interactions — especially when we really don’t want them.