Five Lessons I Learned as a Mental Health Blogger

My anxiety and depression diagnoses serve a valuable purpose.

In 2014, I was in a dark place in my life. I blamed my anxiety and depression on the “quarter-life crisis.” But really, that was just my attempt to wish away my mood disorders. Through therapy and by opening up to friends and loved ones, I found acceptance for my anxiety and depression.

My acceptance and the desire to improve my well-being led to an unexpected opportunity. In 2015, a friend of mine introduced me to a mental health website called HealthyPlace. I began blogging for them one year later. Here are five lessons I learned during my role as a mental health blogger.

1. My older stories are still relevant.

In 2017, it had been nearly nine years since my father had passed away. Yet, I still felt jealous of people my age who had their fathers to walk through life with them. For HealthyPlace, I blogged about how I experienced jealousy during grief. Then I made a video to accompany the blog. At the time, revealing my story made me feel ten pounds lighter. During the video production and blogging process, I sorted through my feelings and learned to deal with my grief. Simultaneously, I hoped that some of my readers who went through something similar would feel less alone.

A few weeks after I published that piece, I thought people would forget about it. With all the new HealthyPlace content coming in weekly, I thought my older posts would be replaced by something more timely. But I was wrong. This Easter, five years after my post was published, a reader told me she understood the feelings of jealousy during grief because she missed her father on the holiday. I felt sad, shocked, and touched at the same time. I now know that old words do not go unnoticed. They do not die, and they are still relevant to people I have never met.

2. Reading and listening to other people’s stories saved my life.

There have been times when I faced suicidal ideations. I don’t know what would have happened if I had not sought help for my depression. But I do know that opening up about my struggles has led to great friendships with other people who overcame similar issues. Reading and listening to other people’s recovery and wellness stories changed my outlook on myself and life. In fact, I truly believe that hearing about other people’s breakthroughs has saved my own life.

3. My experience with mood disorders adds to my blogging background.

Before I began blogging for HealthyPlace, I feared the judgments others would place upon me if I bore my soul about my struggles. I thought people would call me derogatory names. I wondered what future employers would think if they knew the thoughts that ran through my head at times. But then I reminded myself that my mood disorders were part of the reason I received my blogging position in the first place. I had stories that some people may have shared but were not comfortable disclosing to others.

Receiving the chance to blog about mental health based on my own experience was a privilege that I would not trade for anything, regardless of the stigma. My knowledge from firsthand mental health experience adds to my credibility as a blogger and a writer.

4. I have learned how to speak from the heart while adhering to guidelines.

One thing I notice in all of the stories I read on mental health websites is that everyone has a different story to tell. Everyone has different degrees of struggles, various coping skills, and numerous outlooks on life. It is not my place to tell others how to live their lives. It is not my place to force my religious views onto my readers.

I have learned to release my voice while adhering to guidelines that used to be hard for me to follow. My main focus on blogging for a mental health website is three-fold: to tell my story in the hopes that other people with mood disorders will feel understood and validated, to break mental health stigma, and to spread more awareness.

5. Even with bumps in the road, there is always progress.

Some weeks, brainstorming mental health topics is difficult. Other weeks, it can be hard to articulate my thoughts. Just the same, my mental state fluctuates. But by being mindful of my moods, coping strategies, and productivity, I can continue blogging. I can improve my mood.

As long as I am breathing and moving, I can stumble and then get back up. My imperfections make me human. They also make me a work in progress. The same is true for everyone.

I now know that my mood disorders exist for a reason. They do not make me less of a person. They do not take away my ability to thrive. Instead, they have led to opportunities for me to carry out my passion.

If you struggle with your mental health, please know that you have a purpose. Even if you cannot see it now, your existence matters and changes lives in ways you might not understand. You are loved, and you are not alone.

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