"SEEK THE HELP YOU NEED"

 

When talking about our health, we must keep in mind, that there’s a holistic approach to health care. It’s not just one thing, but many different aspects that help keep us functioning. When we’re physically sick, we usually go to a medical Doctor or Specialist to help rectify the problem. Why then, is it so difficult for us to reach out to someone who specializes in mental illnesses??  

As I was reading up on this issue, I read that anyone can develop a mental health problem, but African Americans sometimes experience more severe forms of mental health conditions due to unmet needs and other barriers. It also spoke about the need for many blacks in the community to put up a facade of being strong when in fact they are dying inside, adding fuel to the fire.

OMG! That statement slapped me right in the face because I can remember when…. when I was that person struggling with depression and not knowing what the heck was going on. I can remember trying my BEST to put on a good face and act as if nothing was wrong, while it was literally & figuratively kicking my butt! It started to affect other areas of my life as well. It even began taking a toll on my health, until I finally decided, after much torment, that I could NOT do it on my own!!My illness was not physical, it was mental and I had to seek help from a specialist who knew how to deal with what I was experiencing. 

IF you’re in that space right now, please know that YOU! ARE! NOT! ALONE!! I often felt alone. I felt as if I was the only person experiencing what I was going through at that time. I didn’t feel like I could share those things with others for fear of being labeled, CRAZY! However, once I stopped bearing all of that pain and baggage alone and began acknowledging that there was something going on within that I definitely needed help to conquer, I sought out the help that I needed, to heal. 

I’m sharing this because I KNOW there are people reading this post who are trying to navigate those troubling thoughts on their own. You don’t have to go it alone. There is help out there. We just have to be brave enough to seek it. I’m still not 100% comfortable sharing this information with others but I also know that if I can be brave enough to share what little I have, then it might encourage someone else to be brave enough to take the steps needed on their road to recovery. BTW… you won’t just survive through it, you can also THRIVE!!  😊

Did you know that…

Janet Jackson struggled with depression, Jennifer Lewis was diagnosed with Bipolar, Dwyane “The ROCK” Johnson battles with depression, Kerry Washington suffered from bouts of depression & an eating disorder, Kanye West is Bipolar, Mariah Carey struggles with bipolar disorder, Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child has battled depression since she was a teenager, Alicia Keys has dealt with depression, Wayne Brady suffered from depression throughout the years & had a debilitating mental breakdown, DMX was Bipolar-mixed with his drug addiction 

Comments

Christina aka Willful Buffalo said…
You are never alone. We only feel that way. I always say no matter how bad you feel & dark it seems right now I can guarantee it will Eventually get better. It just doesn’t feel like it when we’re walking that dark path. Talk it out. Write it out. Sing it out. Whatever you gotta do to relieve the pressure so that brain pipe doesn’t bust. Have a fantabulous day & thanks for sharing. We are here for you as you are for us.
January 19, 2022 at 8:59 AM
Ms. Ro RED said…
Thx Chrissy 🤗 I'm certainty here to provide support & grateful to know that you're a part of my Team🤗
January 19, 2022 at 11:39 AM
Anonymous said…
Yes, the Black community must get rid of the mental health stigma. If you need help, get it!!There are professionals waiting to help YOU!
January 23, 2022 at 2:43 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Struggle IS REAL!!

“My struggle IS real & it’s been an emotional roller coaster at times.” When I was hosting, ‘The Beat Goes On’ radio show from 2014-2018, I would often reference, ‘The Struggle being REAL’ in reference to my weight and physical health. What I didn’t realize at the time was that those challenges didn’t deal with my physical health , like I thought .  Instead, I finally had an epiphany & realized that the ‘ Struggle ’ I often spoke of, had more to do with my Mental Health than it did anything else! Conversations about Mental Health are not often referenced in a positive light, which is why many people have a hard time seeking the needed help to maintain a healthy mental balance in life . Along my journey, I’ve struggled with battles that would plague my mind about my health and well-being. I would accept, receive and believe all the negative & judgmental thoughts, the scrutiny, the demeaning words, the ‘put downs’, & the ugly criticisms that oftentimes ran amuck i
Read more

Who do YOU say, "I AM"?

When was the last time that you loved on yourself? When was the last time that you told yourself how  beautiful you are; the last time that you praised yourself for the talents that you’ve been blessed with; the last time that you acknowledged your creativity; the last time that you patted yourself on the back for something great that you did; the last time that you looked in the mirror and fell in love with YOU… not because of your outward beauty but because of the beauty that you feel resonating from within.  OH! You don’t remember the last time?? Is it because those are not things that you’re in the habit of saying to or about yourself? Are you instead, in the habit of acknowledging all of your faults, your mistakes, your shortcomings, your insecurities, the problems in your life? Do you tend to beat yourself down and say demeaning things like, “I am so FAT…”; “I’m unhealthy“; “I am not worthy”; “I’m so slow”; “I am not as smart as…”; “I’m certainly not qualified to…”; "I a
Read more

What doesn’t kill us makes us STRONGER!!

Like so many of us in life, we've experienced some type of adversity. It's not fun and we don't like it, but as we experience adversity, we're also experiencing growth. That might sound like an oxymoron but think about it. Think of a time where you fought and struggled so hard and thought that you would NEVER pull through. A time when you were in so much pain, (mentally & physically) that it was unbearable. It could have been a struggle in your health, your finances, your family, and even your faith.  Situations in life sometimes take us through a gamut of dramatic emotions and leave us feeling like we're at our lowest point. It's even difficult sometimes to see how we can pull ourselves out of certain circumstances. Oftentimes we feel like we're not going to make it. We might have gained some bumps and scrapes and battle scars in the process, but inevitably, we often pull through those tough times and on the other side of the adversity... we've emer
Read more