Put on Your Happy Face

"Put on Your Happy Face"
by Caroline (CB)

Winston Churchill once said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”

             I know this doesn’t sound like music to your ears when you’re in a tough spot. Sometimes you just want to

curl up into a ball and disappear. But trust me, it works.

            It’s hard to comprehend that moment when it hits you. You have a mental illness. The rapid mood swings, the crying, the panic attacks. They’ve all led to this.

Talking to someone is the first step, and maybe getting a doctor’s side, but what now? You’re stuck in this mind that fell into a dark hole and won’t get out.

            First things first, accept your illness. Tell yourself, “I may have this small bump in the road, but I’ll get over it.” Half of the time mental illnesses are just hereditary, or what I like to call the “family air loom”. It’s hard to accept that there’s something wrong with you, but remind yourself that you’re going to get better.

            An important person once told me, “You’re sad? You’re depressed? Go out. Go do the things you love, and surround yourself with the people you love. If you do that everyday, you won’t be sad.”

I laughed it off sarcastically; I was in a deep pit I felt I couldn’t climb out from. But I think of what they told me now, and it’s true. Although medicine does help, it only helps for 50% of the sadness. The other 50% is up to you.

So put on your happy face and do the things you love. Go outside, bike, paint, read, visit the city, explore. Give yourself some relaxing time. Hang out with people that are positive and support you for you. Talk to people and tell them how you feel. Get everything off your chest and if you cry a little, that’s okay. Everyone cries, and a lot of people share the same problem you have.

As cheesy as this sounds, you are not alone. There is a light at the end of this tunnel, and even though your beautiful self is going through hell right now, you have to keep going.