Mental Illness, It’s NOT a Choice

By Shannon Griffith

How many times do you hear, “you need help”?

How many times have you told someone, “they need help”?

How many of you believe that mental health/ or even how we handle it is a choice? Do you say the same about physical issues and the time it takes to “heal” those?

Mental issues are just as important, if not more important than physical issues. Those of you that have NEVER experienced mental issues, especially, something as serious as “depression”, will never understand.

Depression comes in waves, there are different levels of it and they affect everyone differently just like anything else, depending on the individual and what they have been through in life.

If they have had 1 bad thing after another happen to them and people want to keep using, hurting, taking advantage, abusing, bullying and adding onto it, it’s NOT going to get any better for them.

They are going to keep thinking negatively, because that’s all they have experienced in life.

In turn, they will lose MOTIVATION (it’s a huge symptom of depression)…meaning, no motivation to shower, brush our teeth (in turn, causing tooth loss-DRUGS are NOT the only thing that causes tooth loss), changing clothes, going to work, doing everyday household chores, even something as simple as pressing a button to turn on a T.V./radio, and NOT picking up the phone to even call to “get the help” you say we need.

Depression consumes/ controls you, and it’s definitely NOT because we are allowing it to or even want it too (because honestly, who in their right mind would actually “want” that)?

It just happens, especially when someone (like myself) can’t catch a break from negative results in life, (abusementally/physically/sexually, job loss, break-ups, additional health issues, family issues, homelessness, etc.).

It makes us feel like (if no one else cares, why should we)? That’s what “depression” does!

It’s NOT always a choice on how we heal ourselves either, just like physical issues such as cancer, heart issues, anything else that might cause death.

Hence, why suicide also occurs sometimes, because just like people can’t always heal from physical issues and die, they can’t always heal from mental issues and commit suicide in return.

Instead of telling people, “they need help”, when in fact, there are things you could use help and guidance on as well.

Try being more caring, kind, supportive, and understanding.

Since most of you seem like you don’t care, you will never care enough to understand what others are going through or have been through already, and you NEVER know when someone might be on their final straw, and you just hit their limit (let’s face it, we ALL have our limits), with your selfishness and lack of care!

Please be KIND ALWAYS!