“Just try not to think about it.”
“Can’t you just let it go?”
“Go for a run and you’ll be fine.”
“Try essential oils!”
“Try not being sad.”
I think most people who struggle with mental illnesses have heard these statements. While some suggestions like this can help, there is not an end-all-be-all way to “cure” mental illness.
Living with something like this takes time, and many many different approaches. Every person is totally different. For some, medication is the way to go, for others, medication can make things worse. Some need to seek a licensed therapist, while some are okay just talking to friends and family. All are totally okay!
Having an invisible illness makes it extremely hard for others to see what you are going through. Often times, there are no physical changes that are immediately noticeable. This does not make it any less painful. In our society, calling in to work because you’ve got the flu is okay, but calling in for a panic attack is not. That is absolutely something that needs to change.
You wouldn’t tell someone who has diabetes to just “not think about your diabetes and you’ll feel better”, so why do we tell that to people with mental illnesses?
id: The image has a portrait photograph of a feminine presenting person. They have dark, straight hair with straight across bangs. They’re wearing a flower crown and a sweater. There is black and white text on a green semi-opaque box. The text reads “The Fingerprint Project”, “Mental Health Awareness Month”, and “Invisible Illness”. /end id
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