Last month was Mental Health Awareness Month. According to Mental Health America, close to 20% of adults suffer from mental illness(es), about 50 million. Mental health doesn’t discriminate. It can affect anyone. There’s no shame talking about mental health; in fact, it’s healthy to have an open discussion about it.

Depression can be scary. It feels like you’re sinking in the ocean, unable to swim to the surface. With depression, one may feel depleted, empty, or numb. Some people will isolate themselves. Others may feel like they have lost themselves.

My depression spiraled out of control when my dad passed away unexpectedly in February. I was devastated, and I hit my all-time low. He was my rock. He was by my side throughout all my surgeries, always reminding me to keep going.

I knew I needed help and my top priority is to take care of myself. If you don’t care for yourself, how are you going to care for others. And so, I reached out to my therapists, and my nurse practitioner who manages my medications for depression and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). I reached out to my support systems and continued to practice self-care.

As we have all seen with the global pandemic, due to COVID-19, most everyone’s mental health has been greatly affected. Life has drastically changed, and it hasn’t been easy to adapt. Taking care of your mental health is not an overnight process. It takes time, and hard work. It’s okay to not be okay. There’s nothing wrong with taking care of your mental health. The strongest thing one can do is speak up and ask for help.

If you’re struggling, please know you’re not alone.

Please ask for help…