I’m here today to talk to you about mental health and why it is imperative that we erase the stigma around it. What is a stigma? Stigma (n): a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person. We should not by any means associate mental health with the word disgrace. Your feelings are never a burden.

Let’s face it, it’s severely easier to pretend your life is all sunshine and rainbows than to face the reality that it’s not. We’ve become all-star pretenders, trust me I know from first hand experience. My Instagram is all the evidence I need. What content do I post? I curate my posts to only show the images I associate with my happiness. It’s human nature to want to show the world the best side of you but there’s so much more that goes on in life than the posts on a timeline. Our Instagram is not an accurate depiction of our real life.  

I’m human, therefore, I feel an array of emotions throughout the day not only happiness. Some days I am sad, others I am filled with rage. You know what though? This is okay. It’s okay to feel sadness, anger, and whatever other emotion you feel. What isn’t okay is letting your sadness eat away at you. My mind is my own worst enemy; there are days where I am at war with myself. I don’t quite know how to tell someone else I’m not okay. I find convenience in letting myself deal with my problems. This is where the flaw lies. Think of a snowball rolling down a mountain as it gains momentum it picks up more snow on the path down. This is how my mind works I think of one problem and before I know it I’m thinking of 50 other things wrong with my life and cursing myself.  

There was a time in my life where my personal darkness consumed me to the point of choosing self-harm. I would wake up every single day and wish I hadn’t. To be frank, I couldn’t tell what was the exact cause of my pain but to feel so alone inside yourself and to consistently choose darkness is not something we should do. Looking back now I don’t recognize that person I was, although she does make a guest appearance in my life every now and again. I’m hoping that my honesty will help others understand that they are not alone. If ever you need a person to talk to, I am here. We only get one life so you must constantly and consistently choose yourself. Struggling with yourself? Take a mental health day, you deserve it.  Life is an uphill battle I will not lie but I promise whatever hurt you are feeling will always heal with time. I’m living proof.  

I want to bring to attention Logic’s performance of 1-800-273-8255 at the 2017 VMA’s. I’ve never cried over an artist before, but this one got me. His song title is the number to the suicide prevention hotline. Please watch the video below it is so incredibly important. “I don’t want to cry anymore, I want to feel alive, I don’t even want to die anymore.” You. Are. Never. Alone.