There is a fine line between imagination and hallucination; between being stressed out and completely overwhelmed; between feeling down and feeling too far down; between having strong emotions and extreme ones; between knowing you're not alone and believing that you are.
When it all just seems too much, just breathe... just breathe.
Take a few moments and watch this powerful TED Talk by Eleanor Longden, titled "The Voices in My Head" -- she is a true light and inspiration!
According to The National Institute of Mental Health, about 1 in 4 American adults suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year. These numbers are also true for the United Kingdom. The statistics for Canada, however, are slightly lower (1 out of every 5 adults). The most common diagnoses are anxiety and depression, or a combination of both.
The bottom line is this: the number of people -- both adults and children -- living with mental health struggles is high, regardless of where one lives. For those affected, this truth should be reassuring. We live in a world today where treatment and support are a part of normal, everyday life; and where a diagnosis should not be thought of as a stigma, but rather, as insightful information one can use towards their own mental health management and healing.
People are not defined by an illness or disorder, but rather, by who they are as individuals. I have met and worked with many fabulous individuals who have balanced successful lives while also living with one or more disorders. That being said, there are times when the body and mind need to surrender and find themselves in need of some assistance and support. Medication and therapy are simply tools, not crutches, designed to empower the one who is struggling and help bring balance back into their daily life. Remember -- it's courageous to ask for help, and even more so to accept it.
If you, or a loved one, are struggling with one or more of these disorders, please know there is support, treatment, and hope available. There is beauty in the chaos -- sometimes we just need another hand to hold in order to see it.
Mental Health Disorders include:
- Mood Disorders (Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Suicide)
- Schizophrenia
- Anxiety Disorders (Panic, Obsessive-Compulsive, Post-Traumatic-Stress, Generalized Anxiety, Social Phobia, Agoraphobia)
- Eating Disorders
- Personality Disorders
- Autism
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Who Can I Ask for Help?
- Your primary care doctor
- School counselors or main office staff
- Your parents, siblings, or trusted friends
Where Can I Get On-Line Information and Support?
- http://www.rethink.org/
- http://www.nami.org
- http://www.nimh.nih.gov
- http://www.mentalhealth.gov/
- http://www.helpguide.org
- http://www.hearing-voices.org/
- http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/
- http://psychcentral.com/
- http://www.cmha.ca/
- http://www.mentalhealth.org.nz
- http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/
When it all just seems to much, just breathe...