Bingo, I lied, they're not scientific. BUT they're super useful for what I'm about to talk about. We have this stigma about mental health in our society. We - as a society, as a culture, as a people - like to blanket things - by this, I mean that we like to assume that "anxiety" always means one thing, "depression" always means the same thing, and anyone who has either is experiencing the same thing as your second cousin's boyfriend's litter sister who also has anxiety.
Here's the thing. Mental health issues are wonderfully non-selective. They don't care who you are. They don't care what you've been through. They don't care what your past is. They don't care what you look like. They don't care if you've dealt with it before or not. They don't care if you have easy access to resources. Yes, there are certain experiences that an individual goes through that may foster the development of mental health issues, and YES there are some patterns when it comes to mental health disorders and mental illness, but my point is this: NEVER ASSUME that one person's experience is universal, or that, because of differences, someone's experience is invalid.
What does someone with anxiety/mental health struggles look like?
Like you. Like me. Like your best friend, like your coworker, like your spouse, like the guy you just passed on the street, like your favourite celebrity, like your child. Like literally everyone you've ever met or seen or heard of ever.
How does someone with anxiety/mental health struggles act?
Outgoing, chatty, ecstatic, sad, reserved, giddy, neutral, whatever, literally any combination of moods and characteristics ever.
"But wait! If EVERYONE EVER might be struggling with anxiety/depression/other mental health disorders, and there's no clear way to tell based on their attitudes or actions, how am I supposed to be able to know?"
So here's the thing.
You can't.
When it comes down to it, blanketing these ideas of mental health can be harmful. They contribute to the stigma surrounding mental health, and they also might serve to stop people from seeking help. If we continue to perpetuate one overarching, all-encompassing idea of what 'anxiety' looks like, or how a 'mentally ill' person acts, then it invalidates the experiences of those who don't fit that model. It leaves people wondering what the hell is wrong with them because they don't fit this 'mold'. It leaves them thinking that they maybe don't need help, because what they're going through doesn't match the 'signs and symptoms' list that our culture has carved out.
Watch your words and your actions, support your friends and family, do your research. Do your part in breaking down this horribly inflexible, harmful, and straight-up-wrong idea of mental health and mental illness. Contribute to making people feel valid. Work to feel valid in your own experiences. Encourage others to do so. Get help if you need it. Don't judge those who already have, or who are struggling to take that step.
What does someone with anxiety/mental health struggles look like?
Like you. Like me. Like your best friend, like your coworker, like your spouse, like the guy you just passed on the street, like your favourite celebrity, like your child. Like literally everyone you've ever met or seen or heard of ever.
How does someone with anxiety/mental health struggles act?
Outgoing, chatty, ecstatic, sad, reserved, giddy, neutral, whatever, literally any combination of moods and characteristics ever.
"But wait! If EVERYONE EVER might be struggling with anxiety/depression/other mental health disorders, and there's no clear way to tell based on their attitudes or actions, how am I supposed to be able to know?"
So here's the thing.
You can't.
When it comes down to it, blanketing these ideas of mental health can be harmful. They contribute to the stigma surrounding mental health, and they also might serve to stop people from seeking help. If we continue to perpetuate one overarching, all-encompassing idea of what 'anxiety' looks like, or how a 'mentally ill' person acts, then it invalidates the experiences of those who don't fit that model. It leaves people wondering what the hell is wrong with them because they don't fit this 'mold'. It leaves them thinking that they maybe don't need help, because what they're going through doesn't match the 'signs and symptoms' list that our culture has carved out.
Watch your words and your actions, support your friends and family, do your research. Do your part in breaking down this horribly inflexible, harmful, and straight-up-wrong idea of mental health and mental illness. Contribute to making people feel valid. Work to feel valid in your own experiences. Encourage others to do so. Get help if you need it. Don't judge those who already have, or who are struggling to take that step.
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| "We cling to music, to poems, to quotes, to writing, to art because we desperately do not want to be alone, We want to know we aren't going crazy and someone else out there knows exactly how you're feeling. We want someone to explain the things we can't." - Unknown |
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