I think we can all agree that continuously pushing up against an invisible, always stronger foe is probably not the greatest for our mental health. I know we can all agree that no one wins the comparison game. Not even the person who feels briefly better because they explained how their plight is worse than whatever it is you have to deal with.
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Cover Photo by Nicolas Thomas on Unsplash

While I do not define myself by my diagnoses, I have found that I do better when the people surrounding me are understanding, forgiving and generally those who assume the best in others. I hope to reflect such kind traits in my own behavior too. It took a lot of thinking before I was able to identify what truly matters when it comes to building friendships.

It’s hard to see something like that and not feel worse at the thought that this might not be the case with your own illness. As much as I hate to admit it, it makes me feel awful, even jealous, when I see stories about people who have suffered from depression at one point in their lives but no longer qualify for the diagnosis. The people who seemingly “beat it,” so to speak.

Due to the chronic nature of my illnesses, I have seen many doctors. Over time, I have learned what kind of care works best for me. I am not here to admonish any one specialty, but rather celebrate those doctors that stand above the rest, to provide great care and fulfill their Hippocratic oath thoroughly.

To help you wade through and shorten the process of finding the right care for you, I have put together a helpful list of what to avoid and what to embrace in a doctor. 

Did you know you can be certified in Mental Health First Aid like you can be certified for CPR and First Aid? I ask because I honestly had no idea until I started researching celebrities with mental health issues and found a football player who is very passionate about the cause. It likely won’t come as a surprise to any reader that I am not a sports ball fan, but I sure got excited like one.