The community of those with mental illness
I spent so much of my life alone and without friends. I was a very introverted person with not a single ounce of confidence. I was bullied and abused for this, which only pushed me further into my own bubble, a bubble that got so lonely over the decade I was in it.
I took the plunge back into Twitter last year, I never liked Twitter as it didn’t make sense to me but very soon, I had found something so valuable, that burst that bubble of anxiety I resided in.
What has happened through my mental health advocacy is that I have made this tiny little mental health community. It’s like my words and the words of others have found each other. For the first time in my life, I feel like I am loved and belong, I have friends and family who I haven’t even met yet.
People tend to put a lot of negativity towards mental health and those with a mental illness. However, the real truth is that these ‘broken’ people are full of so much love and empathy, they are the listeners, the thinkers and those who will actually take the time to understand your battle.
Mental health varies so much between each person but the pain that it carries does not. There are hundreds of labels and diagnosis that can be given to any one person but the thing we all have in condition is that we are all fighters, warriors of a battle that is hurting but we are winning regardless.
I have had the pleasure to talk to and meet people who have stumbled over some pretty burly hurdles and despite that they struggle to talk to others and like me, are introverts. Yet, they have been the ones to message me and check on me if they notice that I am slipping, they are there for me before those in my immediate life.
I think it’s a wonderful thing really, that a person can suffer through each day so much and still find time to reach out and listen to a person. This community that I have found, has saved lives and given me hope, it’s reminded me of the humanity in this earth and that good people still exist.
So, I think it’s time to stop looking at those with mental illness as unapproachable or awkward, it’s time to realize that that same person will be there for you at 2am when no one else is.
You can follow her on twitter @CUnderwoodUK
Or follow her blog at https://t.co/g3lhAX34fa
Thank you so much Charlotte
sarahsthinkingagain 
Loved this! It’s definitely very true, too. Even with depression and anxiety, if someone else needs me, I’ll do my best to be there for them – day or night.
I’m very happy to be finding a lovely community on Twitter, too, and I’ve been surprised at the way it’s impacted my life as a whole. I’m still not bursting with confidence, but it’s starting to grow. I interact with so many people each day now and because they seem to like/care about me, I don’t feel anywhere near as isolated and alone.
Wonderful post. 🙂 x
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Charlotte is amazing and so are you ruth. I quoted you both in a tweet recently about my favourite inspirational people x
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