Via CMHA BC Division: Getting Help for Mental Illnesses IMAGINE THIS: One day, you develop a nagging cough, or get sharp back pain. Most of us wait a few days to see if things get worse or improve, then we might do some research on things we can do at home. We go to friends and family for advice. If the problem still doesn’t go away on its own, we usually go to the doctor to get it checked out to find out what it is and what to do about it. NOW IMAGINE THIS: One day, you wake up and realize that emotionally, you’ve been feeling different lately. You’re not sure what it is, but you (or others) notice that you’re acting differently, feeling unlike yourself and having thoughts that bother you. Two months later, you’re feeling even getting worse, but you still haven’t asked for help. You think it will go away on its own, that it’s not serious, that it’s all in your head. You reason that maybe it’s just your personality or your age or stress. Things you might try on your own don’t seem to help. Or maybe you suspect what it could be and you’re scared of what family, friends and coworkers would say. So you keep it to yourself and just try to get by day-to-day, hoping it will change. Why do we treat our mental health so differently from our physical health? Please do not ignore your mental health, its essential when you notice a change in how you are feeling on a regular basis, to pay close attention and reach out for the help you need instead of letting it build and escalate. There is no shame in needing help, in fact - with any other part of the body when unwell - we generally dont hesitate to check in with a doctor. There is no difference between our mental and physical health - both require treatment when unwell.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Nov 2014 19:00:02 +0000
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