We’re all familiar with the classic statement of, “We need to talk.” But what if we made the statement, “It’s time to talk,” just as universal? We typically think of February as the month of romantic love, but what about the love of listening to a friend in need and creating a space free of shame and judgment? Mental health is what we need to talk about more often. There is a unseen crisis in the world and is it that of our mental wellbeing. We spoke to Dr. Teralyn Sell, Psychotherapist and brain health expert, provides her commentary for this upcoming “Time to Talk Day” and the importance of opening up and talking through struggles without fear or stigma on the topic.
The Importance of Being Honest when We’re Struggling
Us humans love complacency because it’s the path of least resistance, but it does absolutely nothing for us in the end. When I learned to seek community and actually be vulnerable with what was happening to me, was when I realized that I had been carrying a 100 pound weight in my heart and just always thought it was normal to feel down and heavy going through life. The first step, however cliche, is to admit that you have an emotional issue that needs proper sorting through. This can be difficult, but it is also necessary. For years you have been ‘comfortable’ in an uncomfortable situation, so much so that this is now your ‘normal’. To open up you will have to become uncomfortable again. But this time, the discomfort is growth rather than suppression. The best part is that some therapies such as EMDR do not require you to spill out the entire story, your brain will actually process the material whether or not you are talking about it.
Also, there is more than one way to process emotions. Some people enjoy going to a therapist, others like hypnosis, EFT tapping and more. The world of mental health is certainly not linear and it’s most important for you to find the most comfortable path to deal with the emotional discomfort you are experiencing. Talking about emotional struggles is a great way to release them from your body, therefore releasing another layer of your overall stress load. We know that the body hangs on to emotions and stressful events. Without processing these emotions your stress response will continue to believe it is under attack.
