Real heroes of bravery. #MentalHealth #Warriors

For those who don’t know me personally or for those who are reading this as my first article. I am a mother of 4 young adult children with very different health challenges, one side being mental health and the other being developmental delays.

So as I write this article tonight, it’s to give honor, love, respect to not only my own children but to every other individual who’s battled through trauma. This is for those who’s blogs I have read on WordPress, who’s tweets on Twitter, posts on other sites, and have cried out from their pains and times of desperation in search for something to change. Those who have shared their story and ones who are reading for encouragement while gaining courage to share their own. Those who feel alone in their situation. Those who feel they don’t have a voice. Those who fit this article.

I admire your strength to not give up on your own self.

I’m proud of your courage to share how you truly feel inside.

I’m glad your here and you’ve continued to fight everyday. In my eyes your a warrior in your own right.

YOU MATTER more than you may feel in those dark moments.

YOU are loved more than it seems.

YOU are valued higher than you think your worth.

YOU are battling that “thing” that isn’t you.

YOU are stronger because of your own journey.

YOU matter most to the ones who love you.

YOU are here and I am glad.

Don’t let that bad moment, rob you of living out your next moment. Combat the negative thoughts as soon as they enter, do your best to survive.

I want everyone else to know, mental health challenges, diagnoses, illnesses, disorders, or, whatever else you refer to it as, these are not here by choice. Mental Health challenges as I know them, witnessed them, weren’t preventable, but can become manageable with appropriate and accurate treatment and support. So PLEASE do not blame yourself or the individual for this very “thing” that decided to come into their life one day and shift some things around. Continue to fight against the stigma, while we hope to find a cure one day, and we gain courage to speak out and share our stories of our own journeys.

We can do a walk for mental health awareness, sell t-shirts to raise funding for more public education toward ending stigma, even as I do, but that is honestly not enough!!! I’m hoping for a cure an accurate diagnosis the first time around, proper treatment, low to no side effects from these medications, a natural accurate remedy to heal these very “things” that interrupt our minds to become irrational and altered at times. But until then, I will continue to do what I can within my power to help others, use my voice, and raise funds for these causes.

Every person who has truly lived thru #MentalHealthTrauma I consider a #warrior. The wars we fight may not be the same battle as another but we are still warriors & some of us are still in the battle EVERYDAY but we have not been defeated becuz it’s #MindOverMatter.

-Erika

Thanks for being here. I truly hope I’ve said at least one thing to inspire someone.

You can now follow me on my new Twitter page at @StigmasNo or on like/Follow posts on my new Facebook page StigmasNomore.com.

I will also be sharing others select stories or journeys and not just my own.