May is Mental Health Awareness month, and I want to be as transparent as possible and speak from the heart. Many times when we as individuals are going through something we keep it to ourselves and bottle it up. It wasn't until last year that in dealing with depression and anxiety that I had to seek out a therapist. Now, many times I've heard that black people don't do therapy, or we deal with it in our own way. So my question is what is the way we deal with situations of depression and anxiety?
Oftentimes many problems get brushed under the rug and never get dealt with properly. Emotionally holding those problems in takes a toll on your mental health and causes more problems. My mother passed away three years ago, and I was there for everything from after her death. I thought that going back to work would help me cope with the fact that the woman who gave me life is no longer here on earth. It masked the situation, but I never grieved properly. I felt that I not only had to be strong for myself, but for my dad and siblings, and other family members. Boy was I wrong! Two and a half years later it catches up to me. I buckled down and started speaking to a therapist and meditating.
In speaking with a therapist it opened my eyes to understand that I needed to be in the company of others who were dealing with the loss of a loved one. I joined a Griefshare group on FB, as well as I began to build my relationship with GOD. Once I did those things a weight was lifted and I could be there for my husband and daughter. I had to understand that I had to take time for SELF and do what made me HAPPY.
Don't ever feel like speaking with a therapist or counselor is negative or brings negative connotations. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Speak your truth and find your peace!
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