Ashley Lee
- Apr 5, 2022
- 3 min read

Mental Health Awareness Month: It's Okay To Get Help (2022)

By, Ashley Lee

People everywhere choose not to get help for their problems for many things because of the following: they think they can take care of it; they may not afford to pay for treatment, or they could be afraid to take that first step- because it hurts their pride.

Regardless of the case, I've seen this happen everywhere, and it's time to speak out- it's okay to get help.

According to Active Minds (the nonprofit organization that addresses mental health awareness in young adults)-

1. “Suicide is the second leading cause of death in young adults.”

2. “50% of us will experience a mental health condition in our lifetime.”

3. “39% of students in college experience a significant mental health issue.”

4. "67% of young adults tell a friend they are struggling before telling anyone else."

5. "1 in 5 of us have a diagnosable mental illness."

Has this ever happened to you? Or do you know someone that’s currently dealing with this situation or dealt with it in the past?

Whether you or someone you know has gone through it or not, there could be an instance where this could/will happen to you.

I’ve known some people who’s struggled with their mental health, dealt with a loss (breakup or death), and they didn’t want to seek help.

These people believe they can handle it themselves and think that getting help hurts their reputation. In other words, if person A finds out that person B knows that person A is getting assistance, person A fears that person B believes person A is weak.

Well, admittedly, I don’t think that’s the case at all. Sadly, I feel that some people see it that way, and that’s what they believe in. To me- you can keep that to yourself if you don’t feel comfortable sharing this issue with others.

So let me share this with you- there are also people who struggled with mental health, loss, and/or other struggles and got help.

At first they felt that they could handle this themselves but ended up deciding to reach out to someone they could turn to like a loved one and/or professional.

I don’t think they wanted people to know about this, because of fear of judgement or it’s a private manner. Either way, they stepped up and took care of themselves.

My Two Cents

From someone who has gotten help before, I want to pass this on to you.

You will not be looked down upon if you choose to get help. A lot of us will understand if you get help. We only want to be there for you during your personal crisis and ask that the assistance you're getting will change you for the good.

Know that there are people out there who deeply care about your well-being.

Don't worry about those who say otherwise. There are reasons why they have that ideology, and we need to respect that as well- even if they cannot understand why you're getting the help you need.

I believe that seeking treatment for your problems will make you stronger. What you disclose to the medical professional will help them understand what they need to do to make you feel better.

If you're in college, check out your campus' resources in seeing how they are treating the students and staff there.

If not, check with your doctor to see if they can refer you to a medical professional you can trust.

Now

Because of current events, discussing mental health is starting to become more of an open conversation.

At least steps are being made to address this crisis.

I hope that this will inspire you to speak up about your situation. It’s never a bad idea to let out what you feel to someone who is willing to listen.

Just remember that the person you’re talking to is trusted and won‘t tell anyone else.

Godspeed and take care.

Below are some resources (under “Credits”) that you could benefit from. I get that the target age range for Active Minds is between 14-25, but I find that Active Minds will benefit anyone regardless of their age.

NOTE:

If you are under distress and/or dealing with suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or 911 immediately. They are open 24/7.