In 2019, the National Institute of Mental Health reported that 20% of adults in the United States were living with some form of mental illness. Fast-forward one (highly unusual) year to December of 2020, and the U.S. Census Bureau found that 42% of people surveyed reported symptoms of anxiety or depression. Recent months have been hard. If you are one of the many people struggling to get through each day, take heart: You are not alone.
The bright side? There may never be a better opportunity to start speaking up about mental health. What better time than now to share our stories and to chip away at the stigma that has historically prevented people from seeking help. As Britain’s Prince Harry said in 2017, “The experience I have had is that once you start talking about [mental health struggles], you realize that actually you’re part of quite a big club.”
Here, we’ve compiled the following quotes about coping with the challenges of mental illness. And remember, if you or someone you know needs support, the National Alliance on Mental Illness has a wide offering of services from crisis counselors to live chat support, and you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline anytime by dialing 988.
I found that with depression, one of the most important things you can realize is that you’re not alone. You’re not the first to go through it, you’re not gonna be the last to go through it.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
The biggest lie that we’ve ever been sold is that we as artists have to stay in pain to create.
The experience I have had is that once you start talking about [mental health struggles], you realize that actually you’re part of quite a big club.
There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.
Sometimes things fall apart, it’s part of the journey.
The best thing I ever did for my mental health was I stopped apologizing for it.
Be careful about how you hide yourself from people who care. Your hiding could set up a life-or-death situation whereby you are in need and there is no one left to help.
Sometimes the people around you won’t understand your journey. They don’t need to, it’s not for them.
Just because no one else can heal or do your inner work for you doesn’t mean you can, should, or need to do it alone.
If we start being honest about our pain, our anger, and our shortcomings instead of pretending they don’t exist, then maybe we’ll leave the world a better place than we found it.
Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact.
Hope is the feeling we have that the feeling we have is not permanent.
Your illness is not your identity. Your chemistry is not your character.
Healing begins with the open, compassionate acknowledgement of these unpleasant aspects of our lives.
Featured Image Credit: Dustin Humes/Unsplash
April Dávila
April Dávila is a lover of words. Her debut novel "142 Ostriches" was released in 2020.
