Mental Health Hierachy
Since the beginning of my teenage years, all I’ve seen is people brush off depression and anxiety like it’s just a little nuisance. People seem to think that anxiety and depression are on the bottom of the hierarchy for mental health. That isn’t true, and I don’t believe there should be a ranking for that kind of stuff either. As someone with both PTSD and social anxiety, the reaction is different when you tell someone you struggle with one of them. People think social anxiety is just a silly trait that other people have. Like it’s a trend, and it’s cool to have it. I understand PTSD is not as common as social anxiety, and the complications are very different, but I’ve always struggled with social anxiety more, and no one bats an eye. They’ll brush it off as me just being awkward and shy, meanwhile I’m struggling to survive because of my thought. I have struggled with social anxiety my whole life and I’ll probably struggle with it for many years after. I want support, I don’t want people to laugh at me once they see me doing something disordered. They don’t even know my social anxiety is connected to my PTSD. They only care when it’s something detrimental, otherwise they won’t give you sympathy. It’s just constant, “same” or, “just talk to people it’s not that hard.” 🫠
@lover119
If people don't experience it, sadly they'll never fully understand what you go through 💛
Thank you for your honesty.
And for sharing the reality of it with us 💚
Feel free to pop in and share in the sharing circle and get support, you'd he welcome anytime 🥰
I feel so seen with this post cos SAD ruined my life and it still is it's not shyness it's much more as someone who grew up shy being shy didn't affect me this much I could do pretty much anything making friends wasn't as With SAD existence and mind you I'm a university student I feel so lonely and every day I'm on a verge of dropping out 😔
@lover119
It sounds incredibly frustrating to have something that affects you so deeply constantly minimized as you just being shy or awkward. I can understand why hearing things like "same" or "just talk to people" would feel dismissive when there’s so much more happening internally that other people don’t see. You deserve to have what you’re experiencing taken seriously without having to prove that you’re struggling enough first. I also really hear what you’re saying about not wanting mental health struggles to be ranked, something doesn’t have to look severe from the outside for it to have a major impact on someone’s life.
That’s part of why spaces like the discussions and forums here on 7 Cups can be so meaningful. They give people a place to share experiences like yours and connect with others who may understand some of those same emotions and struggles. Even when it feels like the people around you don’t understand what you’re carrying, you don’t have to carry it alone, and your experiences are worthy of being heard.
@LovelyAnnalise thank u annalise 🩷🩷
@LovelyAnnalise thank u annalise 🩷🩷
@LovelyAnnalise thank u!!
