Don’t be afraid to ask for help for mental health; it’s treatable

“The deepest pain I ever felt was denying my own feelings to make everyone else comfortable.”

– Nicole Lyons

Mental illness is not an elephant in the room anymore it is actually really common. We just don’t know how to ask for help. Because it is so stigmatized, sufferers are afraid of social isolation and estrangement.

Society and the media have deemed it to be scary and difficult to treat. People who admit that they have issues are oftentimes called weak or fragile. Why has it become so frowned upon to talk about struggles?

Whether you have family issues or just feel sad, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help. Sometimes it takes more strength to admit you’re only human, than it does to swallow it down and push through.

It’s terrifying that, in the United States alone, the 10th leading cause of death is suicide. Let’s get rid of the notion that mental illness shouldn’t be discussed. It is common, treatable and a fact of life.

This story was originally published January 1, 2018 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Don’t be afraid to ask for help for mental health; it’s treatable."