To The One Who Is Struggling: I See You

You wake up, disheveled. You feel as you have been through a torrential rainstorm with the magnitude of a hurricane. Your chest feels heavy and your heart is pounding out of your chest. There is no doubt that life has kicked you down lately, but somehow, you continue to wake up and do your best to function.

Your friends and family think you’re being a drama queen. The truth of the matter is, though, they don’t seem to understand mental illness and the mind games that have the utmost potential of revenging your mind and heart.

Be patient with them. They will understand eventually, especially if you make the decision to speak up and make sure your trials are heard. I know it will be hard to voice them, and it will take the courage of a lion, but I believe in you.

I know mental illness is stigmatized in this society. The world tells us that we are supposed to grab life by the horns and keep going because that’s what’s normal.

However, I personally beg to disagree. No one is normal. We will all created with a one-of a-kind personality and work ethic. Sometimes, though, even our most unique and special traits can fail us, no matter how hard we try, even if we avoid it like the plague. It’s not our fault, though. It is the devil on our shoulder attempting to do his job and ruin everything that is good.

We have to find a way to bury the devil’s face in his own misery before we can overcome our feelings of sadness, emptiness, and failure. To some, it may seem as simple as reciting the alphabet, but for someone who is struggling, this can become akin to trying to contact the President.

We all understand that there are many people who internalize their feelings. Perhaps they have buried their negative feelings for so long that they struggle to reach the surface. What they don’t understand is that this is the worst thing you can do for yourself. The longer something is buried, the more likely it will explode once released and could result in negative consequences and fights.

You are not weak, my dear. If you need help, seek it. If you need to talk about something, blurt it out to someone who cares. I promise that you’re not alone. The whole world sees struggle. We all want instant answers and are frustrated when they don’t appear at our fingertips.

However, when you actively seek solutions to your troubles, it is then that you can begin on your road to healing. It is when you’ll see the sunshine again. It’s when you will not be afraid to dance in the rain. Maybe one you’ll even find the courage to embrace your scars for the positive lessons that they have taught you. Maybe one day you will give thanks to your unrelenting strength and fiery spirit.

Until then, though, understand that life is a process, and processes take time. Until then, I will be on the sidelines cheering for you to make it through the best way you know how.