I can’t underestimate how much I enjoy talking about mental health. It’s one of the few times in my life where I feel free, my brain isn’t going a hundred miles per hour and I’m able to speak honestly on a topic I feel comfortable talking about. A few weeks ago, I accepted a chance to be a guest on a mental health podcast and talk about my journey with depression, which is something I’d never done before. The experience taught me not only about the importance of sharing my story, but the growth I’ve experienced in my mental health journey.
It’s safe to say that when in regards to my mental health, I don’t really know how far I’ve come. I’d say that I’ve come a long way, but at this point I don’t think I can really process how my mental health journey has progressed (or regressed) in almost ten years of living with depression and anxiety.
By sharing my story and talking about the creation of My Brain’s Not Broken, I got a chance to reflect on the past few years and how that’s impacted my mental health journey – and I was pleased with what I found (a BIG thank you to Irinia from the Subsequently Depression podcast for having me on!).
When it comes to living with depression and anxiety, I’ve made more changes to my life over the past nine years that I can count. Usually I lump all these changes into the same general ‘mental health’ category, but when I was talking about my mental health journey I realized how many changes I’ve made. I’ve created a mindset that prioritizes healthiness over happiness, I change my language to make sure my wellness is prioritized and I’m willing to admit when I’ve made mistakes in managing my mental health.
I constantly make mistakes when it comes to managing my mental health – it’s all part of the journey, I tell myself – but it’s opportunities like this one where I realize how much I’ve grown in my mental health and advocacy surrounding depression and anxiety. One day at a time, one conversation at a time, we can continue to tear away at the walls that mental illness creates and build something new.
If you have some time, please check out my episode of the ‘Subsequently Depression’ podcast – available now wherever you get your podcasts!
My Brain's Not Broken 