Mental health is my cause – Cause Communications

Depression is such a misunderstood struggle and laughter is the best medicine for it. It’s really unfortunate Robin Williams didn’t have someone there to make him laugh and help him navigate his darkest of thoughts.

I’ve been debating for awhile about unveiling my own struggle with depression to the social media masses. Those who are close to me are aware of my battle with the thoughts that can torment me at times. It’s something that I’ve been working to conquer for the past 10 years, and I’m a lot better than I used to be. I am making progress. There are tools available for those who are willing to do the work. And I don’t mean just popping a pill once a day.

The fact of the matter is that the brain is a very powerful thing. And if you’ve had patterns that were put in place in childhood that are the foundation for your present-day thoughts, it is extremely difficult to forge a new path. It’s very painful, repetitive, exhausting work. A person prone to depression literally has to create new neurological pathways in the brain through repetition before the positive thoughts begin to outweigh the negative ones on a consistent basis. We always have a choice in our thoughts (and thank God for that!), but habits are hard to break and changing the way a person thinks is no easy task.

The darkest part about being in the “black hole,” as I call it, is the hopelessness. There is no part of you that believes it will ever get better. That’s how powerful the mind is. A depressed person is in severe emotional pain, and judgment is the worst kind of support a friend can provide. Make them laugh instead. Keep trying if they don’t crack a smile. Endorphins are a natural anti-depressant.

There needs to be more compassion and empathy for those who struggle with mental health. So much value is put on physical health in our society, but people don’t realize that in order to be physically healthy you have to be mentally healthy first.

Rest in peace, Robin. I hope your passing will help to shed some light on the stigma that surrounds depression and mental health.