Life is crazy. Things happen. People get sick. Like me for
example. I came down with a cold, and my focus is not where it should be, so I’m
just going to do a quick post today. If you follow me on Twitter, then you may know that I
participated in Bell Let's Talk Day
on January 28th. In an initiative to start the conversation about
mental illness on this day, Bell Canada donates 5 cents for every Tweet, text,
or phone call towards mental health research. I learned last year that a
research building in Toronto was funded entirely by Bell. This past year, $6
107 538.60 was raised with 122, 150, 772 interactions. I felt so fulfilled
after 15 hours of tweeting because I knew I was actually making a difference
for a great cause.
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The reason I put so much effort into it is because it is
something I hold near to me. Both of my grandmothers suffered from depression.
I am not ready to share my story yet, but I have been in counselling three
times, one including a current biweekly appointment. I have been through this,
but I have been unable to share my experience with others. No one talk about
it. Why? However, these past few days, I noticed a few people mention “my
therapist” in a conversation. There was no big fuss, and no one questioned it.
It was so casual in a conversation, and that’s exactly how mental health should
be regarded! Instead of making an excuse for why you are missing out because
you have counselling, just say you have counselling. I believe that it’s only a
big deal if you make it out to be that way.
With that being said, you do not have to be seeing a
therapist or counselor to talk about it. As the jack.org
chapter in my university tells us, 5 in 5 of us have mental health. I am about
to have a busy
month, and I know from past experience that if I lose focus, then I get
overwhelmed and I stop taking care of myself. My mental state goes into a
downhill spiral that is neither healthy nor productive. For me, I care of
myself by taking a long, hot bath with a magazine or taking a night off to
spend with a friend. If you’re in the middle of a busy time and don’t know how
to cope with your stresses, talk to the people around you. Ask how they
maintain their mental health. Start a conversation.
You are the most important part of your life. You have a
light that no one else can give. If you let your light dim, it may be harder to
see your path. If you get to the point where your light goes out altogether, it
may be harder to get out of the darkness. So please, take care of yourself. Listen
to your body. And reach out.
-Daniella
P.S. I decided to post this after midnight because the 25th
of February marks my official first year of blogging! Thanks to everyone who
has been a part of this process whether is through reading, or active support.
I appreciate each of you whole-heartedly.
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