What does "success" or a "happy ending" look like to you? How does mental illness play into your dream scenario?
“Success to me looks like living my truth, whatever that may be. My struggle with anxiety keeps me motivated to always do my best, even when it’s terrifying...and my relationship with minor depression, especially in the gloomy winter months, motivates me to stay honest with my friends and family about how I’m feeling. Most days, I see my mental health ups and downs as more of a blessing in disguise. I don’t know if I believe in “happy endings” or the classic “white picket fence” dream? My success will be defined by ME - not by society! That is such an empowering feeling.”
What does "success" or a "happy ending" look like to you? How does mental illness play into your dream scenario?"
Success means I'm doing my absolute best in whatever I do, be it school, my mental health awareness/support club, or social situations. I know I can't control what I do or say, but I also know I give my best to be who I am comfortably so that's success to me. Happy endings are me accomplishing my goals while I'm working with, not against, my mental health. Its events being done, planning out responsibilities, and knowing I am who I am because of my mental state. It doesn't hinder me, it makes me stronger as a leader and person. Happy endings are living with my mental illnesses and achieving goals with them."
"I have always put a lot of pressure on myself to do the best I can at everything I do. This can cause a lot of stress because nothing is ever perfect and there is always room for improvement. I believe striving to be the best person you can possibly be is the greatest goals someone can have. If you believe you are doing the best you can that is all anyone can ask of you and you should be proud of that."
What can other children, youth, and young adults do to support a peer struggling with mental illness?
"Be a voice for it, let others know, help people speak on it."
"Don't be afraid to ask someone for help or to seek help from a professional, but do it when you're open to the help and when you're able to deal with any past trauma. It is such a relief to talk to someone that can help you understand why you feel a certain way and be able to make connections with you"
Knowing that I'm not alone in my struggles with anxiety has helped me remember that there are people who understand exactly what I go through. Hearing "I've been there too" helps me so much!
Your goals could be continuously postponed, which will deter your future plans. I have always been focused on school, not giving me the opportunity to put my actual passions to use. I have made plans to do certain things that would help with that but pushed it under the rug to do other things that do not necessarily make me happy or proud.
Mental health can take a toll on someone's future if it starts to affect your ability to do daily activities or your vision of your future becomes a blur. I have dealt with anxiety my whole life and it has affected the way I have perceived my future at times. It can cause you to believe you are not good enough or gives a constant worry about the obstacles you will have to face in the future to get to where you want to be
I used to think happiness was the end of the tunnel of depression. I was waiting for the one day I would come out on the other side. One day I finally realized this was a part of me now. I can be happy and still have depression. Some days are better than others but I know what to do on those bad days.
Mental health to me is holistic. Its emotions, connections, thoughts, behaviors, life events, and so much more. It is so complex and so incredibly important. If my mental health is suffering, so are other aspects of my life. They all affect each other.
Mental health to me is holistic. Its emotions, connections, thoughts, behaviors, life events, and so much more. It is so complex and so incredibly important. If my mental health is suffering, so are other aspects of my life. They all affect each other.
"The support i say to those that are struggling with mental health is to clear your mind and try to calm yourself"
"It gets better"