My Brain's Not Broken

In case you missed it, May is Mental Health Awareness Month. I like to start off the month by writing about some of the organizations and resources that are available for people to learn more about mental health. Whether you’re learning more about your own mental health or its prevalence in your country and community, there’s plenty of information out there that shows how important mental wellness is in this day and age.

But this year, I also wanted to help encourage others to explore their own mental health –  however that looks. And I think I found a few good ways.

Next week, I’m going to start sharing part of my own thoughts and experience on a specific topic: What Mental Health Looks Like. If you’re not super familiar with the world of mental health, mental illness or mental wellness, it can be a lot to take in. It definitely was that way for me! But there are so many unique aspects to mental health that can be empowering.

Even though mental illness is common, every person’s experience is different because we are all our own people. Whether we’re fighting eating, anxiety, trauma, or personality disorders, our experience is unique, whether we realize it or not. And in the same way, how we handle our challenges and circumstances look different – but they are all valid and we can use them to empower us. 

Mental illness, and struggling with mental health, can make us feel alone But what we have in common is that, whether it’s happening now or it has in the past, we’re all going through something. Whether it’s on your mind or not, you’re practicing mental health and mental wellness every day – especially now.

Which leads me to my Mental Health Month challenge. For the rest of this month, I want to see what your version of mental health looks like! Whether it’s artwork you’re creating, words you’re writing, exercises you’re doing – I want to see what it’s like when you’re focusing on mental health and wellness.

I’ll be using #MentalHealthLooksLike for my posts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (tag me if you want!) and I hope you join in. Maybe get a friend or family member to join in as well. One of the results of the mental health stigma is that if people aren’t facing clear mental health obstacles, it’s not part of their life. WRONG! It’s part of all of our lives, whether we realize it or not. And by sharing what our version of mental health looks like, maybe we can learn from each other and grow stronger in solidarity – together.