No stigmas just freedom

I think deciding that you might need help, and pursing an actual path to getting it, can be two, very different things. Each can not only be terrifying, but downright overwhelming, as you come to terms with the parts of yourself that you believe are in need of repair, of healing, of building, and then the actual act of going online, asking the friend, talking to your doctor to try to determine what type of ‘help’ you may need. That comes with a lot of questions as well: what do you want to work on? why do you want to work on it? what goals do you have for yourself in doing this type of work? do you need short-term or long-term supports? are you sanding down the edges of something within yourself that you know needs revision, or are you concerned about your day-to-day health and safety? Framing the questions can be as exhaustive as reading about the types of mental health supports that exist in the field today. Let me pump the break for a moment here to say this—As an educator, I have learned through all of my years collaborating with young people that college, the idea of it, the actual pursuit of it, is not for everyone; not everyone needs it to be successful or have the type of life they want. There are many other paths to success from careers in the military to trade schools, law enforcement and emergency medical training, self-made business people, culinary programs, the opportunities go on and on. I use that as an example to frame my point here—so many people think you have to have college, but you don’t. Many think you need it to get anywhere in life, but it depends on where you are headed, right? Well, unlike college, you do need your body, mind, and spirit working in harmony, you need to have a healthy mental state—and most importantly, YOU OWE THAT TO YOURSELF. It is never something to skim through like a quickly read email. You cannot do anything if you are not mentally healthy, if you are not right with yourself, and you certainly can’t (as I have found out after several marriages) share keys, doorways, windows, or a life with another person if you are not clear with understanding who you and what you are about…mental health is not college, it is not an option. You need your mental health, every human does, to not only survive, but to thrive and evolve. The question for anyone then becomes, when do you realize you need this support in your life, and what can you do about it?