Mental health is highly individualized — your depression may not look exactly like your neighbor’s or coworker’s. You may experience anxiety as a tightness in your chest whereas your ex boyfriend lashes out at the closest target. The same goes for treatment. Whether it be types of psychotherapy or medications, what works for one person isn’t necessarily what will be effective for another. While you may do best in individual therapy, your cousin might prefer group therapy, and your parents may need couple’s counseling.
And, although we’re slowly breaking the stigma around sharing our mental health journeys with one another, most of us still find it difficult to open up about our struggles. Just think about all of those weekly recurring “doctor’s appointments” you see on others’ work calendars. Most of us would go to great lengths to not disclose to our employer that we’re dealing with a mental health issue — sometimes for good reason. We worry that our supervisors will lose faith in our abilities, question our toughness, or otherwise penalize us. Consider also how long it takes most of us to let a new partner know about our mental health challenges — no one wants to be thought of as “abnormal.” Continue reading This Mental Health Awareness Month, Share Your Story
