| The older I get the more people I know that could have benefitted from certain things NOT being taboo to discuss. I know many people that have struggled in silence because it just wasn’t polite conversation to discuss the struggles they have. Unfortunately, I have known too many of them that took matters into their own hands the best way they knew how and ended their own lives. Admittedly, this taboo has declined quite a bit but it still lingers. I think the reasons for the taboos are as old as the taboo itself. None of them are new. 1) “I should be stronger than this” 2) “I am broken and nobody will help me anyway” 3) “I am not worthy of being helped because of …” 4) “Everyone else is better off without me anyway” 5) “I am a private person and don’t want to embarass myself/my family/etc.” 6) “I don’t know how to even talk about this problem because of all the intricacies of it” 7) “I am the only one dealing with this in the entire world so no one can help me” 8) “I can’t talk about it because I don’t even understand it” I am sure there are others and everyone has a little variation on these themes. Here’s the thing, all of these are illogical and harmful self talk. I think that eliminating these phrases/thoughts and making it normal to discuss mental health will go a long way. I struggle with mental health sometimes. Thankfully my struggle is not severe, but it has moments. I am very prone to negative self talk. I am susceptible to every single one of the above phrases. I am medicated for this. I’ve talked about it before and I am also susceptible to imposter syndrome. I frequently feel like I have been blessed with too much and don’t deserve it. And I am not trying to “fix” it or offer advice. I am only typing this message so you know, you are not alone. I can relate to every one of these phrases and more. Even if no one else will, I will listen and relate (and btw, I guarantee someone else will too, I am not special). So, to hell with the taboos. If you are struggling, reach out. More people need you than you realize. |
