It’s been quite a while since I’ve joined in with Thankful Thursday. Not that I haven’t been thankful during that time, just that I’ve lacked the time to document my thanks.

But this week is mental health week and tomorrow just happens to be World Mental Health Day so I really want to give thanks for my present state of good mental health.

Thankful for my mental health

Yes, this is me. I’m pleased to say that, right now, I’m feeling good. I’m feeling positive. I feel less stressed and more happy.
In the past, I’ve struggled with intermittent bouts of depression and anxiety and I’ve written quite a few posts previously about my experiences:

Maintaining my mental health

Reclaiming  my mental health

Not Quite Right

Suffocated

Facing My Demons

While I feel good now, the thing is, I will never be free of depression or anxiety. It has been my on/off companion since puberty and I’ve learned to live with it as best I can.

Mental illness can be a lifelong condition. Anyone can be affected – in fact, in Australia, approximately 1 in 5 people will experience mental illness each year – that’s 20% of the population. These 20% will have friends, family and professionals around them, which means that nearly every one of us will eventually be affected by mental illness, in one way or another.

This is why the continuing stigma surrounding mental illness is so troubling. With mental illness reaching all levels of the community there really should be no stigma. It should be accepted and supported in the same way as any physical illness should be.

That’s part of the reason I’ve never hidden my own battles.

I AM NOT ASHAMED.

And I’m not ashamed now to be thankful for my current state of well being. And I will never, ever take it for granted. To support mental health awareness I have made a promise to myself to ask for help when I need it. You can make a promise too.

Capture
Take a moment to think about your own needs and share your pledge to encourage others to do the same.
Your pledge will help achieve the aims of this year’s World Mental Health Day – to encourage people to seek help, reduce the stigma and foster connectivity through communities.

Thanks, Kirsty x

 

%d bloggers like this: