At 15-years-old, I overdosed on painkillers and ended up in the hospital for my first – and only – suicide attempt vis a vis a cry for help. I remember being relieved to get therapy out of the ordeal, but almost as soon as we had returned from the hospital, the fear of shame was instilled in me. My parents warned me not to tell anyone that I was struggling with depression. I certainly shouldn’t let anyone know why I was really in the hospital because I would be judged.
This is still more or less true fifteen years later, but it shouldn’t be. As we all know, keeping anything bottled up inside tends to fester, whether it’s an argument with a good friend or the weight of despair that depression brings. How many loved ones have been lost for fear of that shame, feeling unable to get the help they need or even offer the most benign and honest explanation of their behavior to those around them?
A recent tragedy that is not mine to tell inspired me to fight the stigma and encourage anyone who has struggled with mental health issues, currently fights those daily battles, or knows someone who is suffering to #ShareYourStruggle. Statistically speaking, 1 in 4 of us knows what I’m talking about, so let’s drop the charade and start a conversation. Let’s shame away the shame and help those who feel voiceless find strength by showing the courage to talk about mental health.
I’ll start the sharing with my own story, and I hope that you’ll share yours.
My website: www.jennapayne.com
Twitter: @jenna_payne
Hashtag: #ShareYourStruggle