When people hear ‘mental health’, most times, they usually picture someone who has a psychiatric problem or an insane person that is probably going through rehabilitation.
But, mental health has to do with a lot of things.
As humans, we sometimes go through emotional and psychological problems which needs adjustments.
When one goes through a phase with lots of disappointments in life, such a person tends to store up so many thoughts on disappointments which leads to a long period of behavioral and psychological imbalance.
As time goes on,such person begins to see things differently. Same applies to someone who has been through alot from childhood and grew up with childhood trauma or, someone who has gone through abuse either from loved ones or strangers.
For some, it could be as a result of a failure they must have experienced and they have been trying to get over it, but nothing seems to be happening.
Some might be businesses they invested a lot into but, everything crashed at the end.
Failed marriages or relationships, health challenges and so many things that can lead to mental breakdown.
Many times, we care less about our mental health and focus more on the things happening on the outside.
we need to make things right on the inside first.
These signs might be very visible when one is going through a lot of mental issues:
Anger
Eating problems
Anxiety and panic attacks
Mood swings
Depression.
Mental health has to do with the absence of all of these.
it prevents you from going through abnormal phases in your daily activities.
when you are healthy mentally, you are set free from anything that has been holding you back for years, months or days.
It was a cold harmattan morning.the usual dry and dusty breeze kept on blowing.
Echoes of the wind keeps resounding.you could think the whole world was about to be crushed down by it.
The sounds of slamming iron doors,dogs barking in the neighbourhood and everyone was indoors..maybe scared of going out because the weather was out of this world.
There I was,sitted on my bed with tears rolling down my cheeks.
so many questions I keep asking myself but no answers to fit in.
I was obviously miserable, wearing an oversized pajamas, loosed natural hair, and a black pair of socks.
The sleeves of the pajamas were folded and one leg of the trouser was folded too.
one could think I was recovering from a rehabilitation center.
I kept asking why life is unfair, why everything about me was upside down and darkened.
I was a very young girl full of hopes and dreams.
I was an only child who was loved by her parents but, my whole world crashed the day I lost my parents to the cold and bitter hands of death.
My dad was a business man while my mum was a lecturer in a polythenic.
They were so full of life, loving, adorable and Godfearing.
They weren’t perfect but, they were all I could ever ask for in the world.
From being an ambitious young girl, I became a bird without a nest.
My wings were cut off. I became an empty can filled up with bitterness.
Dark clouds were my only shade.
I became a scary little squirrel.
My hopes were gone.
I had no more dreams to accomplish.
I became so weak that nothing seems possible to me.
Of course, I lost everything I had(my parents).
There was nothing left for me to smile about.
No happiness or joy, I became lonely, isolated and rejected.
I became so blank that I saw light in nothing at all.
My mind became occupied with so many terrible thoughts.
I heard voices in my head pushing me to put an end to everything.
I had sleepless nights trying to figure out who I really was, what my purpose was and where Iam headed.
Nothing gave me a reason to believe in myself anymore.
At exactly 3am, a day before Christmas, I decided to end it all.
I picked an old rope from the garage, I carried a stool and hanging myself was the only option I had.
Just when I was about to do it, I felt extremely cold.
I can swear that someone was right there with me.
I became so weak, I felt an unusual presence.
Immediately, my whole self became peaceful.
It was LOVE, love finally found me.
I pictured hope that moment and I had this strong urge to rise up again and be that young ambitious girl I’ve always been.
Opane_
In our world today, out of one hundred percent, eighty percent suffer daily from depression.
And also,out of those eighty percent,just a few admit or accept that they are depressed.
For me, depression is beyond what it looks like, it is much more deeper than just being isolated from the world.
In some cases, depression begins from the mind before it manifest in the physical.
Our minds and thoughts are the most powerful tools that controls us.
As humans, whatever we allow to settle in our minds becomes our thoughts daily and, those things we have already nurtured in our minds begins to take hold of our daily activities.
You begin to think about them every second of the day, you begin to lose focus because your mind is already occupied with so many things you cannot control since you have given your whole self to it.
Sometimes, one is not really depressed, but, once the thought of being depressed and what it feels like comes to mind, boom, you begin to give room for it to develop in your mind.
Depression does not come as a surprise, it starts from within.
you cannot be surprised at yourself for buying a brand new car.
You must have thought about it, pictured the color or brand you wanted. That is why, we need to guard or minds, thoughts and actions regardless of whatever situation we find ourselves.
Nothing is worth getting depressed over.
Of course, I know some would say there are things one cannot just get over no matter how hard he or she tries.
But, when you channel your energy on things that takes your mind off those things that makes you depressed, you begin to feel different about yourself.
What are those things you love doing?what are those gifts you have?
Do you have passion in some certain areas?
Start developing and working on them.
Get out of that comfort zone and try them out.
Try something new, something out of the usual box you’ve been stucked in.
Try to explore, travel,take pictures, bond with new people, learn new cultures, arts, food, try new genre of music.
Just do something beyond the usual. Create time for your family and loved ones.
Start a new routine that would affect you positively and renew your thoughts with amazing pictures.
You set yourself free from depression from your mind.
These things cannot do it for you or help in any positive way:
-worry
-drugs or alcohol
Seek help from professionals and work on yourself.
During my childhood days,I used to be this high-spirited little girl who loves being around people.
I could go on holidays with my relatives without my mum.I was really extroverted even amongst my peers in school.
I was a bully to the boys in my class then(hahaha).
I used to love fashion a lot as a child.
As tiny as I was back then, I sometimes applied makeup, paint my nails and even use a face cleanser on my face.
But then, something happened, I went to a boarding house and everything changed about me.
I suddenly became extremely calm and quiet.
Those things I used to do disappeared from me.
I started enjoying my own company,I could stay in my room for a whole day without bonding with friends or family.
Most times,I’m either reading novels,writing or busy with my phone.
I met a primary school mate that was so surprised at me, he couldn’t believe I could ever be reserved because I was really a talkative.
Being an introvert,most people always think one has a problem,or,you are just an unfriendly person.
Introverts are not sad people neither are they some set of anti-social beings.they are deep thinkers.
They have a very large mind full of ideas.
You could see a normal forest with lots of grasses but, for an introvert, he or she sees a forest with lots of pictures in it.
Introverts are creative beings.
They love arts so much especially writing.
They prefer to write the whole day than have a normal conversation.
They are full of creative imaginations. Introverts see the world differently.
Most of their activities takes place in their mind.
But hey,when they choose to have a fun day,trust me,they appear to be extroverted.
Introverts silently need all the attention they could get from their loved ones.
They might not mention, but, they do.
Apart from being cool,calm and collected…introverts are deep thinkers.
They could have series of sleepless nights trying to figure out or read meaning to things people do not take seriously.
An introvert could do anything to keep a smile on people’s faces regardless.they are deep lovers and very emotional beings.
Introverts love to explore new things,new environment and also,mingle with new people.
You can trust an introvert with just anything..they are the best counselors and motivators.
Maybe you have an introvert friend or family.
Trust me, they are not isolating themselves from you or, keeping things from you.
They are just being themselves.
They are the best friends you could ever have.
Opane_
Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.
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Opane_ 