Being depressed, anxious, scared or in pain is normal. Something that life just throws at you to keep you on your toes.
There are a lot of people in this world. Some people might make you laugh and laugh, but others might do anything to make you feel like you’re not important. In those moments, know you are strong, confident, brave and most of all, beautiful.
At the Oklahoma Institute for Diversity Journalism at the University of Oklahoma, we are writing stories about mental health this week. Some of the topics my fellow high school peers and I are writing about include animal therapy, the impacts of stress on mental health, student athletes’ stress, anxiety about public speaking, law enforcement’s adjustments in light of greater mental health awareness, sexual assaults in the military, female-specific stress, the effects of abuse, mental health portrayal on TV, testing stress, seasonal depression and identity within race.
It is important to be able to talk about mental health openly. Talking about mental health won’t just help you, but it can help those who don’t want to talk about it openly yet. Hearing other people’s stories can help them learn that talking about mental health is OK.
That they are not alone in the world.
Admitting you need help is hard. Nobody wants to ask or admit they need help. Asking for help does not make you look weak or unable to do things. Once you get past the starting point it gets easier. You may not think so but it does. No matter what happens we must always remember to keep on going.
Sincerely,
