Why Would You Share That?

 The past couple months have been a bit of a roller coaster. Allow me to share the ride with you.

As you possibly know, my anxiety was increasing throughout the spring. I made no secret of that. In fact, I reached out for help rather publicly.

Some people didn't approve of that. The following are comments that were made to me by various individuals:

You should reach out to someone in person, but don't share it publicly.

You don't want to damage your professional reputation.

A parent could be nervous to have their child in the room with you.

Why do you even want to share that on social media?

Don't post anything you wouldn't want in the newspaper.

It could go viral.

I was raised not to air my dirty laundry.

It would be hard to defend.

It would be a distraction to the students.

Keep it positive.

When I started this blog several years ago, one of my earliest posts detailed my desire to help others by sharing my reality. It has been a form of therapy for me, too. I slowly peeled back the layers and revealed the depths of my experience. It has been scary, for sure, but it has also been rewarding. To be honest, I feel like I'm being more authentic.

I have no desire to return to hiding. The comments above reveal there is still a significant stigma associated with mental illness. Here's the thing, though: I wouldn't be embarrassed to have my experience in the newspaper because I don't believe it is something that is shameful. I didn't choose this disease, but I am choosing to fight it. I hit bumps along the way, of course, but I would be willing to tell anyone about my journey if they were willing to listen.

I know this is not everyone's cup of tea. They don't think I should talk about something so delicate. They don't want to read something so negative (at times). I understand, but this is my truth now. There is no turning back.

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