This is What Mental Illness Looks Like

With Mental Health being one of the least spoken about illnesses, it is beyond me that I am actually writing this post. See, to be completely transparent with you all, I suffer from a mental illness as well. This is not an issue I speak about, in my community, it’s almost as if mental illness doesn’t exist. You’re not allowed to be depressed, you’re not allowed to be anxious, but if anything, you’re allowed to be angry, but not too angry, because you’re black. This, my friends, is why mental health is taboo in my culture.

I would be lying if I said my parents knew, years of being pulled out of therapy, and they still had no clue. Mental health isn’t something you discuss over Sunday Dinner. Actually, in my household, Mental Illness meant schizophrenia. no more, no less. So, you can see why when I was diagnosed with Anxiety and Depression, (everyone’s favorite toxic couple) I didn’t run straight to my family. One day will present these issues to them, but that is too much generational trauma for me to break while I’m stuck at home indefinitely.

However, in all of my years dealing with my issues and the on and off therapy I endured, there were some things I did learn:

1. Mental Illness Does NOT Have A Skin Color.

Okay, so I know we joked about it in my last post. People of Color will always say Therapy is for White people but is it? Why is it acceptable for a white person to be able to go to the doctor if they’re feeling unwell, and we have to suck it up?

How come there are so very few people of color in psychiatry? Wouldn’t we feel more comfortable speaking to someone who understands our generational and cultural traumas? Simply, why is mental health taboo in communities of color? There is no rule saying only white people can go to therapy, the same way there is no rule saying men can’t cry. Mental illnesses have many faces and sometimes it is the odd guy who turns out to be the school shooter, but often it is the girl who throws herself into her work or the guy with the anger issues.

2. You Are Not Alone:

• 

Did you know that 1 in 4 people suffer from a mental or neurological disease? 1 in 4 is like at least 1 person in your friend group. Now, are all those 1 in 4 people open, of course not, there is still a stigma attached to mental health, but doesn’t that number make you feel less alone? Whatever you’re going through there is someone else going through it as well and someone else willing to help.*

3. There Is No Clear Cut Answer For What Mental Illness Looks Like:

when I heard mental illness growing up, I thought depression was someone sad all the time. That’s what mental illness was, never being happy again. That isn’t the case, some of the happiest people you know hold the heaviest pain. I went to my personal Instagram and asked: “What Does Mental Illness Look Like?” here are some of the answers I received.

“Distancing yourself from your loved ones without a reason”

@erikavanessaaaa

“Feeling like the simplest of tasks are the hardest to do”

@elyanna__

“For me, its losing all motivation. To do ANYTHING because I feel like i’m not good enough”

@ascurledby.krystal

It’s not always crying your eyes out 24/7. Mental illness is distancing yourself, losing motivation, and feeling less than worth it. It isn’t always sadness and sometimes the other feelings are worse. I particularly would prefer feeling sad over losing interest in my favorite things.

I may not be an open book, but I admit that sometimes my mental health kicks my ass. Which is exactly why it is important to take care of it. Take a break from strenuous things in life. Focus on your breathing, cut back on caffeine, and go to therapy.

Your brain is the most complex thing known to man, so make sure you take care of it.

Thats’ The Tea,

Bri.