#mental health awareness month
How I got a handle on my mental health
In honor of mental health awareness month, I thought I’d finally share the story of how I dealt with my anxiety and depression.
We have never had an issue with cutting people out of our life. We have always had an issue with keeping people in our life… We feel it’s due to having no issue with cutting people out. But it seems to be a way of feeling safe. PTSD… It does feel much more safe in solitude, when you’ve had more abusers than close friends or friends in general.
The Weather Report: Imani Givertz
Back in October, our team collectively decided to share our voices in honor of World Mental Health Day. While some people struggle silently, we wanted to open a conversation on mental health in a way that was comfortable and free of judgement. Months later, I asked why couldn’t we continue that conversation? What was once seen as something to be fearful of discussing has turned into a relatable…
May is mental health awareness month.
I’ve had anxiety ever since I can remember. As a kid my anxiety came across as me being a “picky” or “dramatic” kid. Me getting upset about something seemingly small was actually me having a panic like reaction from my anxiety. As I grew up I did not “grow out” off my anxiety, but still no one knew that i was dealing with anxiety day in and day out. They thought it was simply me “being a teenager”. Due to my anxiety I started to isolate my self and do less and less things because of how anxious I became in social or new situations. This isolation lead to a dark depression. From eighth grade to freshman year of college I was depressed. Yes there were some good days, but still within them I was constantly fighting off the hollowness inside me, the numbness that had consumed me, and the thoughts that I didn’t matter, that I wasn’t enough, that I needed the suffering to end, even if that meant my life ending with it. I was lucky though. I had my amazing fiancé (boyfriend at the time), loving sister, and caring mom there for me. Sleeping by me through the nights when I didn’t want to wake up in the morning. Giving me hugs and letting me cry into their chests on those days I wanted to give up. They were also there when I stood up for myself and told my doctor that I needed help. My doctor prescribed an antidepressant/anti-anxiety medication. About a month after I started taking it, I remember simply sitting and realizing that I was okay with that. That I wasn’t worrying about what I had or hadn’t done, not worrying about the past, present or future. I remember just being and being okay with that. That day my life started to change. I slowly started doing more and more things I had been too anxious to do. I have come so far from where I was, and I am so much stronger because of it. I’ve said it before, I’m saying it now and I’ll say it again. If you can’t make your own serotonin store bought is fine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking prescriptions to make you feel better.
You are not meant to be miserable, unhappy or anxious everyday. You deserve better.
James Flowers × Marlan Wayans
James Flowers × Marlan Wayans
In this week’s episode of Understanding the Human Condition with Dr. James Flowers, Houston’s celebrity mental health expert Dr. James S. Flowers, Ph.D., LPC-S, sits down with actor and comedian Marlon Wayans to discuss the intersections of grief, trauma and comedy.
“You have this skill set to take something so dark and find something funny about it,” said Wayans, “It doesn’t mean you don’t deal…
