What Mental Health means to me- Lisel Dsa

Imagine the feeling of being in a pressure cooker with the lid screwed on too

tight. It simmers below the surface, boiling beyond measure and pulses like a

countdown, finally blowing up like a release valve that’s lost all it’s control. That’s

what my anxiety has always felt like - an ‘emotion’ I’ve experienced before even

being able to comprehend what it meant.

Talking about mental health has never been so widely de-stigmatized as it is in

today’s ever evolving scape. Mental health is no longer restricted to how many

good or bad days an individual has, but moreso their acceptance of having the

tools and support to bounce back, to stay grounded while relating to others and

to keep moving forward even when things get tough.

Modern mental health support has helped offer valuable perspectives and helped

individuals develop insight into their conditions, by recognizing triggers and

developing coping strategies.

From my perspective, getting the opportunity to understand my mental health has

helped to foster relationships with those around me and allowed me to put myself

in another person's shoes and express compassion - thus empathizing instead of

just sympathizing.

If mental health were treated like a physical wound - You’d be rushed to a doctor,

given time to heal, and people would offer their support and patience. But with

mental health, the pain is internal—and because it’s not visible, people expect

you to "just get over it."

Everyone carries a backpack full of thoughts, emotions, and experiences,

comprising their mental health. Some days it’s light; other days, it feels like it’s

filled with the rocks of anxiety, sadness, or pressure, and every step feels harder.

You can’t always put it down and forget, but you can open it up and reorganize

what’s inside - using the resources and people surrounding you always.

Remember You Are Not Alone.

-Lisel Dsa