Breaking the stigma or inaccurate self diagnosing?
It is so important to break the stigma around mental health and bring awareness to the numerous conditions that affect people’s daily lives however we must be cautious of self diagnosing. It was brought to my attention that the current episode of a popular adult cartoon South Park a character named Cartman was diagnosed with anxiety disorder. If you are familiar with this series you know they mock and make fun of things that are currently taking place in that period of time. In this episode Cartman was given a buddha box where he isolates himself to be on his phone claiming everything gives him anxiety. I can see why many people were offended by this but I decided to view it from a different light. Personally I have a sister who has been in the mental health field for years and she inspired me to pursue a career in it as well. I have learned so much about mental health conditions and we must keep in mind that they are not adjectives. When you sneeze once you don’t say “Oh I have the flu” you just sneezed, emotions are normal for humans to experience. Everyone feels scared, nervous and anxious at times that does not mean they have anxiety disorder. A person could feel sad that doesn’t mean they are going through a depression. With mental health being a big topic we must also keep in mind the responsibility we have in breaking the stigma the right way. It saddens me how I am almost embarrassed to show people my social media because of cringe and mainstream this “woke” “spiritual” movement has gotten. I am very happy people are seeking growth in all aspects of their life but it’s almost likes its a trend to combine mental health anxiety in particular with spirituality when they should have no ties whatsoever. The reason why I even began to share my spiritual journey with everyone was because of how much it helped me overcome my depression and anxiety. I have gained so many new followers so if anyone here is new I appreciate you and I will sum up really quick why I started Lifeasmj to begin with. I had the hardest couple years imaginable struggling with endometriosis and an emergency surgery that really flipped my life upside down. I did a lot of self reflecting and I always loved to write poetry at my lowest that was something that really centered me and gave me a sense of self. I would never share my thoughts, fears etc with anyone but something happened in me I told my boyfriend I was tired of seeing girls do the same old shit on social media. I was depressed and wanted to feel happy and empowered, I didn’t want to see people stunt I didn’t want to compare my life to an illusion so I made my platform what I wanted from others. I just started to share my poetry share anxiety and depression tips and realized that so many people were feeling exactly the same way I was. I have connected with so many individuals I have planted seeds all while I seeked healing for myself. I am not cured because honestly I never will be but I feel very well equipped with tools that help me personally cope with my inner demons. If I can share my words to make others feel better, feel not alone and feel a sense of hope then my purpose is already fulfilled. Our anxiety and depression do not define us, breaking the stigma isn’t claiming your flights give you anxiety breaking the stigma is sharing you story it is leading by example. It is empowering and uplifting the broken because you are broken too. Don’t be that person who wants to be part of trend, do not cheat yourself karma don’t skip a beat and energy does not lie.
Mental Health Awareness Week!
Hey guys I am so lazy to stand up right now to boil me up some water for my tea but blogging without it gives me writers block haha so if I make any mistakes please do not judge me I am not really in the mood to be grammatically correct at this very moment. Mental Health is a topic I have a passion for, I like to bring awareness to different types of mental health conditions and share part of my person experience with some of them. Unfortunately there is a negative stigma to mental health disorders and people who are struggling with them tend to stay quiet in fear of being judged or misunderstood. In order of the stigma to end we must kill it with information and facts. Education is key and knowledge is really power the more people know the more compassionate they tend to be. We all have our own unique and individual stories that have shaped us into who we are and who we are becoming therefore it is important to not be so hard on ourselves and not allow our mental health to take control over our lives. I have suffered with anxiety for the majority of my life and it is something that I might not ever be able to fully overcome. However as I got older I realized I need to help myself before I drown in worry and panic. Anxiety is a constant worry, over playing scenarios that might not ever happen over and over again in your mind. Anxiety is nail biting, chills, cold sweats and fear while driving, being in public or triggered at the most random times. Anxiety is my prison and my mind is my cell it can get overwhelming but I want to turn the pain into magic and help uplift the ones who are fighting the same war with me. There are many different types of conditions for example Bipolar, Schizophrenia, body and self image issues and many more. We all have skeletons in our closets we all have masks that cover the scars and pain underneath but I personally chose to use the darkness to find my light and be the yellow light that warms others. Depression is something many people suffer with behind closed doors. The insomnia that keeps us at night leaving us in the dark silence with just our thoughts while the world sleeps can actually help you find hope in the fact that the sun once again rise. Wellllll I got deep haha and now I really want my tea so I’ll end this here.
Xoxo
Mj
SIP ON SOME POSITIVITEA !
Sipping on Anxietea ??
Anxiety is a an emotion all humans and animals feel. However when this emotion becomes more powerful or takes more control than your other emotions it begins to become a problem that can interfere with day to day life. I was talking to my sister the other day, I was mentioning how I have observed many people use mental illnesses as adjectives. For example “Omg I the weather is so BIPOLAR”, “I am so OCD”,”I am going to KILL MYSELF if they don’t have those shoes” etc. Things like that really irk me, and I feel we should bring awareness to how we use these terms and make sure we use them properly and respectfully. Not everyone is open about their mental illnesses and they have every right to be you should only open up to someone who makes you feel safe however many could take to offense the use of the term so lightly. This is my personal opinion and I would never like anyone to get offended if they have used these terms before, I just ask to be more aware of the way we communicate with such a sensitive subject. I focus on anxiety due to the fact that I feel since I am not yet a professional I should only speak of the mental illnesses I have personally experienced. However I will be posting general information about other disorders as well such as eating disorders etc. I feel like being open and being informed really helps us rationalize and begin to control our thoughts and emotions. Mental health is very important and it needs to be treated as top priority sadly not everyone has access to a professional and can’t count on a good support system to help them see the light out of the darkness. Battling a mental battle is emotionally and physically draining, when we bottle up these emotions we only create more and more baggage causing us to feel tense and stressed. I have gotten so many messages from you guys sharing your stories with me and I appreciate them so much. I always keep you all in mind and I just want you to know that it is okay to not be okay. There is learning and growth in sadness however we can not linger in it. We must see it, acknowledge it and then let it go. Inner peace is a journey in itself, but when you begin to become more in tune with your mind, body and soul you begin to notice the improvements in your emotions and you begin to feel more safe and stable. Which is very hard to feel when you suffer with anxiety. We constantly doubt ourselves and overthink everything playing out possible scenarios in our head feeding into the unknown which causes us to get sick to our stomachs. I decided I have given my anxiety to many years and to much power over my life. I decided to take my power back and it is a war. Sometimes I win some battles other times my anxiety is the winner but I will not give up the fight. I know that by sharing my story I am only inspiring others to pursue a way out of their minds as well. Stop tormenting yourself with your own thoughts, positive self talk learning to love ourselves are essential for peace and tranquility.
Namaste
Xoxo
Mj
Anxiety
I have been suffering with Anxiety ever since I can remember. My first of many panic attacks was the day before my first day of kinder garden. I had watched the movie Matilda and I swore my principle would be like the Trunchble. It is so hard to not let our minds overthink and create worst case scenarios and situations that might never happen. We must remember to take control of our thoughts and not allow our fear to consume us. Anxiety is a constant mental battle with yourself, it feels like all eyes are on you at all times, your palms are always sweaty and your nails are bit down to the skin. Having anxiety is not fun but the negative stigma to mental illness needs to end. We all feel anxiety some more than others, we should be able to acknowledge our emotions the good and the bad talking about both equally and comfortably. For some reason when we need help we tend to hide away in our shell and not allow the help to come to us. I personally have learned to be more open about my anxiety and my feelings in general. People can not help you if they do not know how you feel, and there will always be someone who is whiling to listen. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you are not in this battle alone and there is a way to deal with it. Go to war with you anxiety by facing it, observe what triggers your anxiety and try to readjust your thought process to a more positive and calming one. Feeling anxious is not a pleasing emotion I personally try to calm and center myself through meditation, writing, reading or even cleaning. Your environment and surroundings impact how we feel about ourselves so having a stable environment is key. One day at time, done deep breathe at a time we will find our peace. For now I will share my story in hope to inspire you to do the same so we can empower & uplift one another. Spread positive vibes always what you project you shall receive. xoxo - MJ
Depression
We all have good days and we have bad days. However, depression is much deeper than just a bad day. Depression is described by many as a black dog. A dog who only the one whom is depressed can see. The dog's energy is heavy, latheratgic, toxic, and contagious. Depression makes you feel like you have become someone else, you feel like you will never be who you once where or who you wish to be. Depression lies to you, it tells you that nothing is worth it, to give up and lose all hope. Depression causes a bitter soul, it makes us attract more negativity and darkness into our lives. It is very hard to get out a depression, it truly never goes away. You must keep in mind that there is a difference between sadness and depression. Depression makes a person isolate themselves, not care about their hygiene or appearance, it can make a person have thoughts of self harm and if not helped in many cases individuals take their life. Depression is not to be taken lightly if you or someone you know has symptoms of depression, be there for them. Guide them to help they need. You have so many pages to fill in this book of life. Don't ever think your story is not worth the fight.
Suicide Hotline: 800-784-2433
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