Seeking Help to Give Help

Mental health is a topic very close to me. I have struggled with severe anxiety and depression for as long as I can remember. It wasn’t until I started a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling that I was ready to get the help I needed. It took me a long time to accept that I needed help and that I was not able to cope as well as I thought I was. Wanting to be a counselor made me realize that I have to take care of myself first before I can effectively help others with their mental health struggles.

I started going to counseling and started medication for my anxiety. I know that medication is not always the answer for everyone, but for me it was the best thing I did for myself. I think something so exceptional about the mental health field is the understanding that every individual’s mental health journey is unique and must be helped in the best way for them, not the general population.  

Getting the help I needed saved my life in more ways than one. I was living just to get through the day instead of actually experiencing life. I am still working toward where I would like to be mentally, but I am heading in the right direction. If I could give individuals who are suffering advice, it would be to reach out and stick with it! Sometimes what you first try doesn’t work, but you will find the services that work for you.

It can be frustrating to struggle with your mental state and feel like you are not progressing to feeling better. However, when they call it a journey it is just that. There will be ups and downs but no one is alone. When you realize you deserve to feel relief and you act upon it, a weight lifts. There will always be work ahead of you and every day may not be great, but finding relief is peaceful, beautiful process.  

What has your experience been in seeking help for your mental health?