When someone strikes up the courage to admit they’re depressed, the response they receive from some family members and friends is usually one of the following:

  • “Everybody feels that way sometimes. It’s normal.”
  • “Toughen up. Life is full of disappointments.”
  • “You want to see a therapist? You’re not crazy. What are people going to think of you if they find out you’re seeing a psychiatrist?”

Here’s my typical rejoinder:

  • No. It’s not normal to be depressed.
  • No. It doesn’t mean you’re weak.
  • No. Seeing a therapist doesn’t mean you’re crazy.

Yet, the power of the stigma of having a therapist or a mental health issue becomes overwhelming, and people who need help are too afraid or embarrassed to get it.

If I haven’t made the message clear enough in all of my posts, I’ll say it again:

Your mental health is critical. The way you think and feel affects your every action and decision. Don’t take it lightly. When you have the flu or a cold, you go to a doctor or take cough medicine. If you’re depressed, anxious, angry, stressed, worried, or simply feel like you’re not living life to the fullest, you need to go to a therapist.

Go to a therapist.

Go to a therapist.

If you’re feeling suicidal:

  • In the United States, call 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433).
  • In Canada, the United States, and internationally, visit the following site and follow the link to your country or area: http://www.befrienders.org
  • If you are unable to find resources on your own, see a physician or go to an emergency room—someone there should be able to refer you to a professional who can help you. Do not suffer in silence.

If you want to take a mental health screening:

Check out Queendom’s Mental Health Assessment. It screens for the most common mental health issues and it’s free.

If you need help finding a therapist:

Insightfully yours,

Queen D