As today starts Mental Health Month, it is proudly the better ones that I have experienced in quite some time. Managing my mental health can be challenging. Moments of temptation and other distractions make it difficult to focus on what I need to do for self-care. Eventually, I learned that my mental health matters. It must be prioritized and taken care of every single day, no matter how hard it becomes!

I don’t believe that I have seen or heard as much as I have in recent years about mental health. I now understand that there are many dangerous things that can happen when I do not take care of myself. Things can happen that I would not enjoy. If damage occurs, actions meant to reverse it would be worse. I know this from social media. I also know this from my many decades of being involved in the mental health system. Now that I am in remission, I realize how fortunate I was to have received the care. I was fortunate to have the care when I needed it. I am also grateful to have found a medication cocktail that has been proven to work for decades. Experiencing two challenging relapses taught me the value of this tool. It helps me live the best quality of life I know and expect for myself.

Granted, life isn’t always perfect as medication is not the magic fix. There are moments that I struggle. Nonetheless, I have bounced back better than before. This improvement came after I realized that I had issues to tackle. Before that, I wanted to blame others for the way I was feeling. I was not willing to find the best coping mechanisms. These mechanisms make me the person I am today. There are people and places that have helped me get where I am today. Nearly two years ago, I was unwilling to believe in their impact because I was unwell.

The reality is that those close to me have seen me at my worst. I was initially unwilling to see their concern. Instead, I blamed them for coming together to raise the concern. Eventually, I had to realize that others can tell when I am not myself. That realization made me see the value of my mental health. It showed me the importance of taking care of my well-being daily. This is crucial, regardless of the challenges. I had to keep moving ahead. I often look back at the many instances when I was unwell. I think about the things I did during those times. Now, I can’t imagine how much I was flirting with disaster in those challenging moments.

I know that many people stood by me even when they did not have to. They did it because they cared and valued me as a person. They did not want to see me decline into a worse situation. In fact, they did what they had the power to do to prevent that from happening, time and time again. It took time for me to see the hard work they did. They ensured I got back on track during my worst moments. Even when I was not at my best and faced challenges, I fought through them. I did what was right because it was necessary. For that I am thankful.