Formspring Question #1!

Formspring asked: Deep one. Do you find there's a stigma to mental illness? Do you base who you are around it, or are you one of those lucky ones who don't let it define you? - Anonymous


In all honesty this whole situation is very new to me. I was only diagnosed with a lot of my issues when I had a nervous breakdown (almost exactly) a year ago. 
I do believe there is a stigma surrounding it. I don't believe that I base who I am upon it, but I believe there is no reason to keep it a secret. I found that when i was first dealing with the initial diagnosis, a few unexpected people reached out to me. People who I didn't know all that well but who had been living with all of the same issues as me. I never would have known if i wasn't so upfront about my issues, that there were a lot (a lot!) of other people in my life going though the same thing. Its so much more common than we realize. 

I don't believe that I let it define me. I probably do talk about it a little too much. But I feel like I'm still getting comfortable with it myself. It's all very new to me as well. I don't think anyone should make it a reason to hold themselves back for anything. I certainly don't let it hold me back from being me, or doing what makes me happy. nobody else should either IMO. 
I guess it's such a personal thing. I believe that we should all work on making ourselves happy before anything else. You can't make anyone else happy, when you are unhappy with yourself. if you somehow manage to, you'll resent them for being happy when you are not.

Just my opinion. Nothing to get upset about :) Ask me anything at HundredThousand