If you follow me on any of my social media, you might have noticed that over the last couple of days I have been advertising something new to Modedeviebel that I am finally ready to announce.
As you may or may not know, I have been suffering from anxiety and panic for just over three years. Naturally, having an anxiety disorder (I hate that word but it's the only way I can describe it) is something that both my family and me have had to adapt to and everyday I am still finding new ways to cope with it. In fact, my entire lifestyle has changed and I am not the only one.
Anxiety disorders are very common. More than 1 in 10 people are likely to have a 'disabling anxiety disorder' at some point in their life. In fact, in 2013 there were over 8.2 million cases of anxiety in the UK alone. There are six types of major anxiety disorders, from generalised anxiety to post-traumatic stress disorder, each with their own symptom profile. That's just anxiety...
There are more than 200 classified forms of mental health. Bipolar, schizophrenia, dementia, depression. Over 450 million people worldwide struggle on a daily basis with many different, complex mental health problems yet, for something so common, mental health still does not receive the necessary awareness it needs. It is (and always has been) a topic people tend to avoid. Over recent years the matter has started to become more acknowledged however there is still very much a hurtful, ill informed attitude towards it.
So, what is mental health?
In definition, "a person's condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being."
When I was first diagnosed, I didn't know anything about anxiety (or mental health for that matter) other than what people had told me. I didn't know what it was or who I could talk to but it was suddenly there and I couldn't seem to shake it. Scared, I took to the Internet. I read stories, talked to people going through similar situations who gave me advice. It gave me such a confidence boost; 'I wasn't alone.' By simply engaging with the online world, I gained the courage to take the first step in getting help. I have seen something similar regarding anxiety but I want to do something a little different hence why I propose #LetsTalkMentalHealth.
If you struggle with a mental health problem I encourage you to write about. I want the blogging community to get involved, to write a post with the title #LetsTalkMentalHealth. Share you story, give advice, ask questions, talk about anything and everything Mental Health. It's not just about raising awareness. I want to reassure people going through the same thing that they are not alone. Ultimately, if this helps just one person then I'm happy.
I don't know if this will work, but let's give it a go!
Much love,
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