I think it’s important if I ask others the same. Anxious and depressed weight remains the same and it is difficult to see a way out.
It took me several years to open up to my family how much I struggle with mental health – I felt lonely and isolated, without a safe space.
This is a very taboo subject, and most people are unsure of responding to those who experience these struggles due to lack of education.
In my opinion, I am a burden to everyone around me. I completely lost myself, who am I. My only comfort is in the form of self-harm, which I have been working on for years.
No kid had to resort to hurting myself, but unfortunately I did it – which led to suicidal thoughts that I thought it was my only option.
Fortunately, one exit in these complex times is actually my dog cocoa. She brought a lot of comfort and support when I had no one else to ask for help.
My anxiety and depression soon began to affect my body image and how I view myself. I slowly learned that one thing I could control was my weight. I live in hell.
I would restrict myself, hide food from my family to pretend I had eaten it, and if I did have food, I would immediately get myself sick and laxative. That’s the most unhealthy I’ve ever had, but as long as the scales continue to fall, I don’t care.
Now, I am fighting three different diseases, all of which are eager to produce different results, and I am fighting alone.
Until my sister and sister noticed and encouraged me to speak loudly. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done and it made me realize how uncomfortable I was.
They showed me that healing is possible and that I should be happy.
It’s a complicated journey about what’s going on. It’s hard to explain how much mental health affects your daily life.
I hope this is immediately lifted from my shoulders, but unfortunately, it is not.
After talking to two medical professionals and several different counselors, the darkness doesn’t seem to change, so there is no real knowledge of how I feel.
I quickly got antidepressants and I was very dependent on them for the next few years. I also contacted eating disorder services via GP.
Unfortunately, after a few weeks of meeting them, they are based on my treatment, not my weight and not my mental feelings.
Once I reached the “healthy weight” they saw, I no longer need to see me even though I was still in mental distress.
This proves to me the height of physical health compared to mental health.
I don’t feel like I can get help everywhere. My anxiety is swallowing every aspect of my life and I don’t think anyone around me understands it. I felt incompetent and lost all my independence.
I don’t understand why my own ideas fight me in every way. I was totally exhausted.
But one thing that frustrated and angered me the most was what others felt like I had always felt.
I turned that anger into a passion for advocating mental health – I want to fight for those who can no longer or can’t fight for themselves.
I haven’t been cured yet and to this day I’m still struggling on a massive scale, but one difference I noticed is that when I feel like I’m back in the dark space, I want to leave them now.
I was finally lucky to wake up in the morning, not hoping I didn’t.
My own experience inspired my passion to make sure no one feels lonely on the road.
I have 3 beautiful nieces and I hope the future of mental health will be different for them.
Stigma, lack of understanding and limited access to care can obviously make difficult situations even more difficult. That’s why I chose to support MQ’s mission – thanks to organizations like MQ, things are slowly changing. The more we know, the more we can provide support and the right treatment for those struggling with conditions.
That’s what makes MQ unique: They are committed to using science and research to reveal the root causes of mental illness. The research they provide can really change people’s lives. It is crucial to establish an environment in which people feel safe asking for help and speak out about their mental health.
MQ helps break the stigma and stand up for changes that need to happen. They are creating a world where no matter their background, everyone feels capable of seeking help and talking publicly about their mental health.
As much as the progress made by charities like MQ, there is still a lot to do. Mental health research is underfunded compared to other medical fields, which is why donations and fundraising are crucial.
