Let’s Talk Mental Health

Since the passing of Twitch, I’ve been wondering if I know anyone who is having internal struggles that he had. I constantly look at people on my Facebook feed and wonder if their “happiness” is real or if it’s just a facade they are putting on for the rest of us. Honestly, I feel like I’m the only one who puts the truth out there on Facebook anymore, I vent when I need to and I share happy moments when they happen and I share my feelings and I try not to sugar coat life because life is hard and it’s when we sugar coat it or when we put on a happy face for everyone around us that we struggle with the truth. And that’s when things like suicide shocks us the most or takes us by surprise because “they always seemed so happy, or they always had their shit together!”

We need to stop lying about how hard life gets some times. We need to stop making everyone think it’s all okay, when it’s not! We need to be okay with saying, “I’m not okay!” “I need help!” “I can’t do this anymore!”

It is okay, to not be okay!

We need to check on our friends! Our family! And even our co-workers!!!! Covid hit us all differently and we need to be okay with talking about it. And even before Covid, LIFE hits us all differently! Each one of us handle stress differently and as we age, as our lives change, or evolve, the way we handle stress changes too! And that is okay!

I’ll be the first to admit, I can’t handle stress nowadays! I used to be able to so easily! I used to perform better under stress, but now I get anxious, I get angry, I get hot and sweaty and I straight lose my shit! I yell and I want to throw stuff. I want to hit the walls, I want to get in my car and go for a drive ALONE! I’m in a way like a toddler having a tantrum when things don’t go my way. I hate having things in disarray, I hate having no control over every little detail at every minute of my day! I hate looking around my house and knowing there’s so much that still needs done! And the boys stuff is everywhere, constantly, and no matter how many times I clean it up, it will need to be cleaned up again in an hour or two!

Some days it just gets to be too much! So I need a break! I need a moment to myself! I need adult conversation and a separation period from my kids. I need some “me-time.” I need to be left alone!!!! No dog at my feet, no kids screaming in the background, no tv blaring in the background, and no cat on my lap every time I sit for a moment of peace and quiet. I need some alone time!!!

AND THAT IS OKAY!

We need to be okay with not being okay!

We need to be okay with talking about not being okay!!!

We need to be okay to ask for help! We all need it at some point in our lives and there is no shame in admitting you need help!

We need to be okay talking about our mental health!

And finally, we need to be okay with helping each other, even if the person to your left didn’t ask for it! As a society, we have lost this! We have become so self-centered and so self-involved that we forgot about our neighbors, our friends, our family members, our co-workers, even the strangers sitting next to us in church, we’ve forgotten about them!

We need to start caring about each other again!

So this is me, telling all of you reading this, I care! I’m here to listen! If you know me or not, and you need someone to talk to, or just to listen, please do not hesitate to reach out! Leave me a comment, message me on messenger. If you are struggling and putting on a facade for those who love you, please reach out, I may not have the answers to everything, but I can help and will help however I can. And if you are a friend or family member of mine struggling in silence, please stop! Please let me help as much as I can!

I was deeply saddened by Twitch’s death because I know so many put on that happy face just to struggle in private. I’m guilty of it myself, but not anymore!

Depression sucks! But the effects suicide has on the people you leave behind sucks way worse! Let others help! Mental health is something we need to be okay with talking about. Especially as mothers. I never knew being a stay at home mom was so hard until I became one, but that is another blog post. Keep your eyes open for that one, if you are struggling with motherhood, coming soon.

The National Suicide Hotline number is 988 from any phone. And for Washington State the 24hr hotline is 1-800-273-TALK (8255).