Thanks for your video, Peggy. It reminded me of initially going to therapy because I felt deeply depressed. At that time, I would have denied that I had an abusive childhood. It is amazing how the mind works to protect us while not protecting us.It took two plus years to heal my depression and open up to the truth of my childhood. While I would never have admitted to another that I felt this way because of the stigma associated with struggling with mental health issues and feeling so judged by society. As a result, I felt defective in so many ways.I imagine that this is where shame lived deep in my being. Therapy and a dedication to my own healing healed my depression and the shame I carried about my mental health issues. When I look back, I recognise the why of all of that. I also know that healing from trauma and an abusive childhood ensured that I no longer struggle with depression. Life brings its struggles for all of us and for me too.Therapy and my commitment to my own healing gave me the freedom to discover who I am and the freedom to live free from the trauma of my childhood. Thanks, Peggy, for continuing to speak of these important issues. 🙏😊❤
Thank you so much for sharing your journey. ❤️ "I felt defective in so many ways." ... this is why all of us continuing to talk about it is so important. So others know they are normal. Thank you for being a voice in this important ongoing conversation.
My biggest problem when it comes to struggling mentally is when I get physically worn out. My mental health has improved a huge amount over the last 5 years but it's still there. I don't really know what my main physical health problem is it could be Chronic Fatigue, ADHD, autism, trauma, or just trying to do the whole life thing alone for decades, or a combination of all of them but there's no help, I look fine. I do have plenty of shame about not coping with life very well. I'm not bad enough to get any help but not well enough to have a very good quality of life. It's like I need something in between therapy and doctors.
Physical exhaustion can be incredibly impactful... in many ways. Even if there is a main reason, there are often many things that contribute. Community can be incredibly beneficial. Though I know it can sometimes be hard to find a great one. Thank you for sharing. ❤️
Hi Peggy. Just a thought and some questions. I heard the word “normal” several times and in different contexts in your video. Wondering out loud…What is normal? What does that mean or supposed to mean? I sense that we all struggle or have obstacles in life to overcome. In that experience or journey, is normalcy or feeling normal the ultimate goal/objective? With all the “stuff” that I’ve navigated through in life, am I suppose to feel normal? Or are the intermittent moments of contentment in relationships, love and so much of surviving the human condition…the “normal” we strive for. Just a thought. Thanks.
Great question. 😊 For me, and I think generally with mental health, creating a sense of normalcy is about reducing shame and stigma. That the struggle, thought, coping, etc is not because there is something "wrong" with someone. Recognizing that you're not crazy or weak can give people the hope or inspiration they need to create or change things they may have thought were just who they were or how things were meant to be.
