A lot of people are suffering quietly and some are taking to social media to break taboos and get the conversation going. From small tics to a complete inability to leave the house, the effects of mental illness are as various as the people who live with them. May is Mental Health Awareness month and talking about how mental illness affects us is a vital first step, not just in erasing stigma but raising awareness for those who don’t personally experience it.
These Twitter users are letting us in to what they deal with on a daily basis…
OCD means I wake up with blood under my nails from scratching in my sleep. BDD means I can't look in a mirror before I leave the house. BPD means I sometimes can't brave the outside of my room.. for days at a time. All of the above make going to work HARD. https://t.co/W3w1zNbgPa
— Erica Vonderwall (she/her) (@ericavonderwall) May 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/AdamHoward2000/status/995734621542342659
There can be days for no apparent reason that I wake up and I'm extremely on edge and anxious. I have heart palpitations and jump at anything. I feel so low and unhappy with myself and there is no reason. And then the next day I can be fine.#HowMentalIllnessAffectsMe
— Victoria Rose Brown (@MissRosieBrown) May 13, 2018
Anxiety makes me feel like a burden for asking for reassurance all the time.
Depression makes me feel like I'm not doing anything worthwhile, even though I'm doing more than ever.#HowMentalIllnessAffectsMe https://t.co/0IaPSdIZ2i
— Jackie | This Halcyon Life 🌿 (@ThisHalcyonLife) May 13, 2018
Sharing experiences is a great first step, but it doesn’t end there. How does mental illness affect you or someone you know? May isn’t over yet; use this awareness month to find out how you can be a better advocate for yourself and for your loved ones.
Read more:
Can you ever recover from mental illness?
