When you’re dealing with mental health issues, it’s natural to withdraw from others and self-isolate—but that’s the opposite of what you need. In fact, it’s when you’re struggling that you need community the most.
Take a look at five key reminders that illustrate how community is vital for good mental health.
1. You Are Not Alone
In a modern world filled with countless opportunities to friend and follow people, you might expect to feel ultra-connected to others. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to work that way. Our interconnected world can leave us feeling even lonelier and more disconnected from others. You look at other people’s smiling faces and think you’re the only one who feels the way you do. But that’s just comparing your insides to someone else’s outsides.
Everyone is on a journey, even if you can’t see it. And that means that none of us are alone in the world. There are people who love and care about you, and people who understand what you’re feeling. You don’t have to walk this road alone—you can share the journey with others.
2. You Can Reach Out When You’re Feeling Low or Out of Control
It’s hard to drag yourself out of the pit of darkness. We all need someone to pick us up when we’re down, and there’s no shame in that. So if you’ve been conditioned to believe that you need to figure it all out by yourself or pull yourself up by your bootstraps, leave those unhelpful beliefs behind.
Feelings of despair can fade when you speak them out loud to someone who cares. Rather than letting negative thoughts run rampant, you can call someone to halt those thoughts in their tracks. The people who love you want to be there for you when you’re down. Let them remind you what’s true when you’re drowning in lies.
3. You Can Be There For Others, Too
One of the healthiest aspects of community is its give-and-take nature. You need your support system to pick you up when you’re down, and you can do the same for them, too. You have something to offer your community, whether it’s a listening ear, a word of encouragement, or the compassion of someone who’s been in the trenches. Plus, helping others takes your focus off yourself, which contributes to a much healthier mindset. It’s good for you to lift your eyes up and out of your own anxiety, depression, and trauma. Being there for others reminds you that you are truly a useful and valuable person in the world.
4. You Can Be Encouraged By Others Who Struggle
If you’re walking a dark and difficult road, it’s hard to see light at the end of it. You may wonder how you’ll ever find your way out of your current situation—but that’s the value of community. Connecting with people who have also undergone mental health treatment and are further along in their journey can provide tremendous encouragement to you. You can see that they have been in your shoes, and they’ve made it through. It’s a valuable reminder that you won’t always feel the way you do right now. There is hope for better days to come.
5. You Have Other People To Live For
If you’re drowning in the sea of self, you need someone else to focus on. Remember that there are people who care about you, and possibly even depend on you—which gives you someone else to live for. It gives you that many more reasons to keep fighting to make it through another day. You’re not just fighting for yourself, but for the people who love you. Your community needs you in their lives. Your presence matters.
Don’t believe the lie that you can go it on your own. You need your community, and your community needs you. Reach out for help, and you will find that you’re never alone.
If you’re feeling alone in your mental health struggles, contact Beachside Rehab’s trained admissions counselors at 866-714-4523 and discover how mental health treatment can help you rebuild relationships and rediscover joy in your life.