This will be a little more personal than usual, but I think it’s relevant to the topic. Many of us have been raised to believe that we must be strong at all times, that asking for help is weakness, that feeling overwhelmed is a personal failure, that feeling anything (other than anger) is a flaw.
The push towards ruthless individualism in some cultures has lead us to this and it can make many people simply miserable. In my case during dark times I would regularly go to bed thinking that it would be nice to not wake up again. I am very aware and very grateful of all the privileges I have, I am by no means someone who is in a bad situation at life, and I still have gone (and will go) through dark times mentally. It happens to all of us and it’s ok to reach out for help.
In my case what helped me out of the dark times was getting into Stoic philosophy to learn to “domesticate” my feelings, focus on what I can control and try to live with justice, wisdom, courage and temperance. For you it might be something else, maybe your religion, a philosophy, a mental health professional or support from friends and family.
Even if you have nobody that you feel comfortable reaching out and can’t afford a professional, there are resources for you. Maybe something like Buddhism or Stoicism will work for you, or maybe some of the new online mental health services like BetterHelp can be affordable for you. Maybe there is a government provided or pro-bono resource that you can access. It is ok, we should be a community and we should help each other, it’s ok to reach out.
Please reach out.
“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
— Marcus Aurelius
Photo by Dovydas Žilinskas on Unsplash