#post it forward

[postitforward]

"Focusing on my own mental health was difficult in the beginning. I needed to ascertain the difference between where my environment was shaping my thoughts and where my mind was affecting how I perceived things."- Adrian Smith (@adrian3d) artist

Happy Mental Health Month, Tumblr!

Mental Health is important. With May being Mental Health Month, we want to take this opportunity to not only facilitate discussions on mental health but also to help those who aren't familiar with mental health issues and coping strategies learn how to navigate these choppy waters.

For many people, discussing mental health issues was not a welcomed topic in their childhood home. Whether you come from families whose cultural values didn't totally align with your own, or you felt unsafe discussing who you really are—we see you. No matter if you're just starting on your mental health journey or have been tackling it for some time, you should be proud of your accomplishments thus far.

All month long Post It Forward will be sparking dialogue surrounding four big issues many people—especially young people—face today: eating disorders, anxiety, addiction, and suicide. 

This will be tough. For some, it will be really tough. But it's important that we let people know it is okay to be open and honest with your personal struggles.

If you don't want to see these posts, don't worry. We got you. We'll be putting content warnings in all of our tags, and, you can easily filter them from your dashboard with our filtering tool. You have total control over what you see (and don't see).

Now…let's have the first discussion. Tumblr, if you could tell a younger version of yourself anything about mental health, what would you say? Use the hashtag #postitforward in your post so others can see your conversation easily!

[stephaniethewildflower]

Please? 🖤✨

[infinite-smile01]

Hey! I’m Hilit,  I’m an artist who suffers from mental disorders and my new project is illustrated emotion cards! I’m gonna pick at random 3 blogs who reblog this and send them a free pack! so how to play? the cards come with a time dice, you roll the dice, pick a card and describe an experience you’ve had that relate to this time and emotion, there are tons of other activities you can have with them to help communicate emotions and experiences. 

for purchases please contact me either here or on [email protected]

 https://www.hilitkoren.com/

[alph4betti-spaghetti]

Dear younger self...

By the time you reach 30 you’ll be figuring it out. The advice I would give to my past self is:

• Look after yourself first - caring about others is a good thing, but not to the extent that you only care about others, (not yourself) and worry about them all the time. In order to help them you need to keep yourself well, so that you are strong enough for them to be able to turn to you in times of need. You cannot save everybody, but you can save yourself and actively help people in leading by example.

• There is nothing to hide - don’t hold back in appointments or therapy, it is a safe space for you to let everything out. It is important that you do, to receive the correct diagnoses and treatment. In regards to strangers, colleagues and clients don’t be afraid to talk openly about mental health there either. Family and friends are easy, because they love you and are accepting, they try their best to understand, but people you don’t know very well can benefit from you voicing your experiences, and may be encouaged to speak about their own, if they see you are not scared to, ultimately spreading awareness and fighting discrimination.

• You CAN! - Alot of the time you think you can’t do things, but try, you will be surprised at what you are capable of. You may find it difficult but the more you put yourself in those difficult situations - the easier they get. There will be a point where opening the door and answering the phone is second nature, not fear inducing.

• Don’t give up - It feels like things will never change, but with a lot of effort and hard work they do. You will be happy, in a full time job that you love, living in an apartment with your boyfriend who you love. Sounds crazy, but things will get better, I promise you.

[hamsterobsessed]

This month is mental health month and I think that’s pretty important. There are a lot of people feeling very lonely and that feeling is horrible. I know how terrible it feels to be alone and have no one on your side. I really hope that my hamsters will give you a little sunshine in your life and that your future is bright <3 

Lots of love for everyone who needs it

[folklorestan]

so as y’all may know, today is world mental health day. I’ve struggled with my mental health a lot in the past, and even got this tattoo dedicated to it. Taylor and her music and being in this fandom has gotten me through some of the hardest times. I hope you all know you’re not alone on your journey and sometimes it’s okay not to feel 100% all the time. Take care of yourself. I love you all 💗🥺

[ssmilingsweetheart]

World mental health day, no one rlly follows me and/or cares and majority of my texts posts are just me venting for my own sake but oh well!!! Today marks 4 years clean from self-harm (!!!!) for me which is still a big achievement for me even though it’s a lot easier now 4 years on! It also means I’ve now been clean for around the same length of time I actually self-harmed for which is, crazy???? Genuinely even 5 years ago I wouldn’t have believed a year on that I’d manage to stop let alone keep it up for 4 years. Didn’t even really think I’d be here lmao let alone ever reach this point of recovery? Not going to lie and pretend it’s easy when I still struggle frequently with my depression, eating/body image & body dysmorphia, isolating myself etc. and even just 2 weeks ago I had my first panic attack again in ages. But I know recovery from things isn’t linear and slip ups are normal, it’s not like my mh problems were just going to go away because I stopped hurting myself, I’ve just got better at dealing with things especially when they seem super overwhelming and I know I am in a far better place now than I was 4-5 years ago even if it doesn’t feel like it on some days. Anyway, no ones probs going to see this and this is more just for me but I’m still kinda proud of myself for achieving this even 4 years in😊

[sweetpea666]

World Mental Health Day

So funny story, I realised recently that my birthday also happens to be World Mental Health Day. Yep, happy birthday to me, today is my birthday. Yet somehow it also seems to fall right smack in the middle of my seasonal depression each year. Both ironic and a strangely relevant birthday present.

Today I turn 24. Luckily for me, I am super self-aware and reflective and have been thinking a lot lately about getting older and what it means. It is strange getting older and trying to plan a future, especially when I spent my whole life planning how to end it. I was suicidal for so long, (haven't acted on it in 7 years, go me), but I always imagined I would be dead by 18. Then after I turned 18 I imagined 22. After 22 passed and I was 5 years clean of suicidal attempts, I was lost, and often still am. What is one supposed to do with a life they never imagined having? What is one to do when they outlived their percieved curfew?

Having my birthday on World Mental Health Day is weird because I have struggled my whole life with mental health and growing older, when I never thought I would, on a day meant for celebration and self-healing. It is strange. This year I choose to spend it in reflection.

A lot of people imagine self-help and self-care as some picture-esque bubble bath with glasses of wine, candles, bath bombs, and a good book. Or some other type of pinterest/instagram worthy pass time. Sometimes they imagine it as therapy or medication. But I feel like people often forget to check in with themselves. Sure, you do that in therapy and professionals can definitely help with that situation, but if you are unable to access therapy or do not feel comfortable doing so, that is okay.

I am spending my birthday this year in reflection, and checking in on myself. I am turning 24 which I would love to spend with a lover or with family and friends, but since adulting is hard I am spending it lowkey. I practically had to beg my roommate to hang out with me since everyone I associate with are adulting and it's the middle of the week. I start a masters program in 2 weeks which is super scary not only because I actually have to apply myself and try, but because it means committing myself to a future that i'm not sure i'm ready for yet. I keep having to make career and living situation decisions and committing to anything and everything is scary. Maybe I am scared because i'm not sure if i'm good enough, maybe i'm scared to live, i'm not sure. All I know is that it is my birthday, it is World Mental Health Day, and I am not okay.

It is OKAY to not be okay. It is okay to do (or don't do) whatever you need in order to have moments of okay. For me right now, I know I am not okay, and I know that I need help. Honestly, admitting that is one of the hardest parts to healing. It's also hard knowing that mental health is not and never will be something that can be "cured" or fully healed. Just because I won the battle all those years ago with suicide does not mean my war on depression was somehow won. There will forever be steps to take, and there will be bad days.

For this year's World Mental Health Day, I am pledging to continue to check in on myself. While it is a small step that should and eventually will be followed up with bigger ones, I find it comforting enough to know in this moment where I stand. Emotions are hard to understand, trauma is hard to work through/past, and I am proud that I at least know and understand what I am up against. Someday, when I finally get the *professional* help I need, this will all come in handy. But for now, happy birthday to me, and happy World Mental Health Day to all of you. I hope this day serves as a beacon of comfort to all who need it 💖