Owning it

[atleastitsraining]

Does anyone else really struggle with accepting that they have a mental illness?

I’ve recently had to confront the role that depression actually plays in my issues. The medication that I was taking had my symptoms under control, and my anxiety just sort of dulled.

The anxiety I’ve made peace with. But saying “I have depression” just really bothers me. I can’t place why, because I know there is nothing wrong with struggling with it.

At this point both issues are chronic, but saying I have a chronic invisible illness just doesn’t feel like something I can claim.

[Stan_K]

Well, one thing I’ve learned is that accepting something is the easiest and quickest way to get over it. I struggled with depression two years ago and it had me in a dark hole. Months went by before I knew what was wrong. Someone that had struggled with depression told me to change my schedule, go for long walks, look at videos that talk about other people’s struggles with depression, talk to GOD about it, and write down how you feel and what makes you feel a certain way. You can learn to recognize the symptoms and stop he thought process that causes depression. Anxiety works the same way. The mind controls the brain, which controls everything else. Once you recognize these things, you’ll begin to change them and feel yourself getting better and better. Don’t have high expectations and just move along at your own pace. Trust me: I was bad off and it helped me a whole lot. Remember: change your schedule(you could be stressed out and not know it, which can cause you to become depressed because of other symptoms), keep a journal of how you feel in certain situations. You are not alone 😉 GOD BLESS

[MyMeanMind]

For me it's anxiety, but I think I know what you mean. It's like, yeah, I know I have it and I take medication and that's fine . . . but I know the truth is that it isn't fine and it profoundly impacts me. Maybe it's the stigma associated with it that makes it harder to admit to and "claim?" For me, I think denial is a definite factor, too. I don't want to admit that my anxiety actually impedes my ability to function. Claiming it like that is saying I have a disability. I also know there's nothing wrong with that, but am reluctant to declare it for myself. I feel like it's a cop out, which is ridiculous.

[atleastitsraining in reply to MyMeanMind]

Right, and that stigma is weirdly hitting me both ways because on one hand I don’t want to admit to it, and on the other hand I feel like if I say to people that I have chronic anxiety and depression, I feel like I will be under some scrutiny. Like oh you don’t get to say that because you’re not that bad. How does THAT make sense? 🤔 maybe it’s me constantly living in denial, saying no it’s not that bad... even though it limits me on a daily basis.

[MyMeanMind]

I hear you and totally see where you're coming from. I think we're both justified. There IS a stigma attached and people DO judge (and no doubt make comments at least in their own minds about how bad or not bad they think you are!) I think in some ways this is where the rubber meets the road in my mind. Am I brave enough to speak my truth? If not, how will the social stigma ever change? Eek! 😟 Hang in there, atleastitsraining. You are not alone!

[Hardlookcap]

It sounds cliche but admitting really is half the battle. It’s hard to admit i think because of how society has mocked it. When someone has a mood swing what does everyone usually say “oh they’re bipolar” ... associating a real disorder with the implication that you’re crazy. Another contributing factor could be because a lot of people claim depression for attention. For example I’m talking about the people that empty threat Suicide as a scare to get what they want ... that behavior has given depression a bad rep. Society tells us depression is weak. Part of that has to do with abuse of the title and part is because people fear what they don’t understand. Unless you truly have it... you can’t fully understand. When you say the word depression it comes with an army of secondary association words... Suicide, weak, lazy, attention seeking, crazy, psycho, unstable, irrational, too sensitive. Maybe part of the struggle is the societal stigma.