Sharing – I Write About Mental Illness Because People Tell Me I Shouldn’t

I think what Elizabeth writes in the post below is powerful, because the reasons to not talk about mental health issue can seem awfully attractive.

“To be honest, I’m terrified to share this. But it needs to be shared. Many people tell me to quit talking about mental illness. Many well-intended people call me, send me messages, and approach me in public to voice their concerns. They always use hushed and embarrassed voices and pressure me with concerns about “what people might think” or “how talking about mental illness will harm my future”. These people urge me to stop talking about mental illness. Some even tell me to delete it all and post a retraction.”

She lists out 5 things people have said to her, and really, who hasn’t heard similar things? They are, in fact, reasons to not talk about mental health problems, because for some people, those issues are real. It can hurt your career, it can hurt relationships, and it can lead to lots of interpersonal problems.

I don’t want to lie to you. These things can happen, and I encourage anyone to think about that before being public.

On the other hand, if no one talked about it, how would anyone know they aren’t alone? In my humble opinion, that’s worse. People who feel alone should absolutely hear us “shouting” that they are not.
https://uncustomaryhousewife.com/2020/03/11/i-write-about-mental-illness-because-people-tell-me-i-shouldnt/