Anna Rae Gwarjanski Portfolio |
There’s a quote by Stephen Fry that says “If you know someone who’s depressed, please resolve never to ask them why. Depression isn’t a straightforward response to a bad situation; depression just is, like the weather. Try to understand the blackness, lethargy, hopelessness, and loneliness they’re going through. Be there for them when they come through on the other side. It’s hard to be a friend to someone who’s depressed, but it is one of the kindest, noblest, and best things you will ever do.”
I think this quote relates to most mental illnesses. It’s hard having something with few physical symptoms. People say “it’s all in your head.” Yeah, it is, but that doesn’t make it any less tyrannical or any less difficult to deal with. This post took me the full two hours to type, but basically what it boils down to is be kind. Everyone you know is fighting some kind of battle. The theme for the 2015 Mental Illness Awareness Week was building a movement around being stigma free. I’ve fought my battles—and I'm still fighting them, everyday--but I’m coming through on top. If you’re struggling in the midst of one right now, know that it gets better. It takes a lot of work, and it’ll probably be really, really bad for a while and you won’t think you’ll survive, but if you hang on, it really and truly does get better. And if you need someone to talk to or if you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, please message me. I may not be able to give you more than a simple “I’m here, and I care about you,” but I know when I was really sick, sometimes that’s all it took to give me a second wind. I know this was a longer post and slightly jumbled, so thank you for sticking with it until the end. I hope these random musings on where I’ve come from and what I’m passionate about have made a bit of sense.
7 Comments
|
About the AuthorConfessions of a failed southern lady. I've got messy hair and a thirsty heart. Writer, photographer, career wanderer. Archives
May 2023
Categories |