My Journey with Depression and Anxiety

“You’re feeling nervous aren’t you boy?”

Sometimes life gives you lemons… or at least that’s what people say. It’s easy to say, “make lemonade”, but the truth is that it’s not always easy to pickup when you fall down. Life seems to be defined by the way you face the obstacles and how you survive them. But it’s not an easy journey.

I’ve been struggling with mental illness for thirty years. It’s been a struggle between different doctors and medications, and being faced with a society that brands you as a “social pariah” makes it difficult. Yes, there seems to be more openness about talking about issues, but it does not change the fact that a mental illness gets you labeled as being out of the “social norm”.

Having a mental illness makes you feel uncomfortable and when the society around you deems you as “different”. This difference may not necessarily be expressed in words, but there are those who will treat you with “kid gloves”. These are the ones that will say, “think happy thoughts”, when you’re in that darkness you constantly fight with. They don’t know how to handle you, because your “different”.

“And the Joke’s on them…”

The song “The Joke” by Brandi Carlisle reaches out to those struggling find their way out of the dark pit of despair. She talks about a boy and a girl who are both struggling with being different from the “status quo”. She goes on to say to let those people have their laugh, but the truth is that the joke is on them.

In a world where mental illness is gaining better understanding, there are still so many misconceptions about it in society. Many people do not know how to handle someone in emotional distress which, sadly, can lead to bullying or even a parent giving up.

There are the well wishers and the ones that offer lame advice, but there are also those out there who understand and want to help. I am one of those that understands and I want to try and help. My blog posts were stagnate, I know, but that is because I was having a struggle of my own.

You are going to run into people in life that you feel like are trying to keep you down, but they will not always be around. Keep in mind, some of these people who are causing you negativity are likely going through their own struggles.

The doctors and people who termed “normal” all those years ago didn’t realize that there is no “normal”. I believe that everyone has their own burdens and struggles that they carry. There is a large majority that have these struggles and are either afraid to face it or want to hide from it.

“I see your eyes hiding behind your hair…”

When it comes to having a mental illness, you can hide and try to avoid it, or you can face it head on. Don’t be afraid of the negative stigma of society, because in the end society does not matter, it’s you.

So, let the laugh while they can, because when you come out on the other side they will see that light they missed out on.