When I was diagnosed with mental illness I was very lucky to have people around me who did not stigmatise me, who saw me as me and not my diagnosis. However, when I stepped out of my comfort zone and into society, I was hit with the stigma of mental health illness which many people have to battle with from time to time.
I wish I could give 2018 me a look into this year. I feel like a completely different person, and my whole attitude towards mental health has completely changed.
A year ago I was stuck in a job I couldn’t stand. My mental health was in ruins. And I could barely get out of the door. Every day I would sit in my local coffee shop and question whether I had the strength to get through the day. There came a time when I couldn’t sit at my desk for longer than a few hours without gasping for air in fear of what was to come.
I've been suffering from depression for just under four years, and depression has a way of replacing your confidence with pure anxiety and self-hatred.
The scariest thing I found about suffering from a mental illness is the effect it has on every aspect of your life; it’s not just what’s inside your head. For me, suffering from depression became debilitating as I couldn't find happiness in the little things I used to enjoy doing. More often than not, depression would cause me to sit in my room and cry, usually for no reason at all.
It's been two years since my very first dealing with depression and anxiety.
I remember the day when I first hit a low point in life and it's not a nice memory to have. I didn't know how to deal with such a strong mental health issue, so I hid my problems away from family and friends which made my issues worse.
I didn't want to get out of bed, I didn't want to socialise with friends and I’d put off family days out. There came a time when I questioned my existence in life; was I a burden? Was I even worth having around? What did I bring to life in general?
