Just a note on World Mental health day that mental health is important and can affect anyone. It’s not just those that struggle with debilitating disorders day in and day out for their whole life, it’s also those that struggle through challenging seasons that may eventually pass. It can be someone at work, someone you just pass on the street, some one in our family or even closer our spouse or child. It can affect simple daily tasks and make what seems easy to those who don’t suffer, a huge challenge. According to the National Alliance for Mental Health, 1 in 5 adults will be affected by some type of mental illness at some point in their life. Around 18% (42 million) of American adults live with anxiety disorders and around 7% (16 million) live with major depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to disease. Sadly, nearly 60% of those with mental illness did not receive mental health services within the previous year.

I personally struggle with anxiety and it can affect my day-to-day but I’m generally able to cope with it. I found a breaking point though while going through the challenges of trying to conceive a baby and ultimately coming to the conclusion I’ve been dealt the infertility cards. From day one I was and have been determined that I could right my body by making lifestyle changes (that’s one of the reasons I started this blog). I know in my heart it’s possible but at some point a long the way I discovered that the challenge was compromising my mental health. I wanted everything to happen a certain way so badly but when month after month the pregnancy tests were negative, sadness, uncertainty, anger, jealously and panic flowed in like a mad river. There have been true moments of despair and darkness. Trying to manage a lifestyle change on top of that is not an easy task to handle. Lifestyle changes are complicated, detailed and long, drawn out processes. It is not something that happens overnight and it’s full of trials and errors, many errors. You know the saying, “When you fall off the horse, you have to get back on?” Well it felt like I was trying to ride two horses simultaneously, which obviously doesn’t work so falling off was inevitable. And choosing only one horse to get back on was the only option for success. That’s why I chose to minimize stress and focus more on the manageable task of having a baby with medical treatment intervention. This way I can focus on small lifestyle changes just for myself and for what makes me feel good without worrying if it will increase my fertility chances too. It’s not the route I originally wanted to take but my body had other plans.

I wouldn’t have been able to find this focus and be truly at peace with my decision if it wasn’t for the therapy sessions I go to. They have been a lifesaver and have helped me manage stressful situations with more ease. Don’t get me wrong, this process is still a challenge but I feel more above the water than treading and bobbing below it now. Seeing a therapist is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. It’s a safe place to go and unload the burdens of life while gaining strength to proceed. Mental Illnesses are treatable and some conditions have treatment success rates of 80-90%. This is greater than even treatment success rates for other medical conditions such as heart diseases. If you think you are in a place that you can’t get out of, or feel at a dead end and don’t know how to turn around do not feel ashamed of seeking help. It can help immensely and bring clarity that makes life so much more worth living.

Let’s start conversations and help those around us that might need it. Let’s speak out about how mental illness is a real thing that can affect anyone and should be treated seriously. Let’s end the stigma.