Hey y’all. I shared this on Social media, but I know that some of you aren’t on there. I’m sharing it here because I know a lot of you are like me and suffer from Depression/Anxiety/Another form of mental illness.
I’m sharing it here in case it needs to be heard:
Grayson Murray was just 30 years old. He is no longer with us because of mental illness.
First let me say that I’m torn up for his friends and family. I’ve been through it more times than I can count, but I’ve also very nearly put my friends and family in the same situation
Y’all I’m begging you to get help if you need it. Of course that is, if you can afford it… which is so sad. I do not want to make this political, but I firmly believe that if mental health help was made available for free, it would be a net positive for this country. I truly believe we’d still have some of our friends
The cost, however, has nothing to do really with one of the biggest problems surrounding mental health: the stigma
Don’t get me wrong… it is better than it used to be. But it is still not where it NEEDS to be, which is completely gone
Getting help does not make you weak. As a matter of fact I’d say the opposite is true. I’m stronger today than I’ve ever been, even though I sure have my moments.
Those moments are fewer and far between now though, because I finally admitted that I couldn’t do it on my own, and if I was gonna bring a child into this world, I was gonna be the best version of myself I could be.
I’m still here in SPITE of the stigma. All the people who say “suck it up, buttercup!” “Be a man!” “Get over it!!”
Ironically now that I’ve been to counseling and can more acutely notice the signs, those very same people are the ones who could benefit from therapy the most. That’s not a dig. I hurt for them. Matter of fact a big part of my “journey” (I hate when people use that but look at me go lol) has been trying my best to forgive people who lash out at me. Because more often than not, it’s not me they hate… it’s themselves.
How would I know that? Well… I used to be that guy
RIP Grayson Murray
R.I.P Grayson Murray: Let’s End The Stigma of Mental Illness/Health