The following is an old article I wrote and previously published on some of my social media. I am reposting it here as it will serve as the first of many posts in my Mental Health Series of writeups.

Mental health is something I've struggled with, advocate for, and truly believe everyone should have access to without judgment or stigma.

Even before a global pandemic that put more stress and challenges in our lives than we ever could have imagined, I've always believed people should seek a counselor for support and understanding of themselves. And never be afraid to say, "I need help".

It took me almost 4 decades to finally understand where some of my strangest behaviors came from. To understand why I've dealt with challenges that seemed to be a nonissue for others and no matter how hard I tried to learn and improve things, I just couldn't seem to overcome them.

I've spent the last two years learning and falling in love with meditation, journaling, bujo, yoga, running, and I've tried twice as many failures in an attempt to improve myself for every one of those that worked. These have proven to greatly support the medication I now take to help my mind and body. I wouldn't do one without the other.

Mental health is something everyone needs to embrace, nobody should discourage, and we all need to stop the stigma.

I post this publicly because I feel no shame for who I am. I feel no shame in asking for help when needed. And I want everyone else to feel they have support in doing the same.

Reach out to me publicly or privately if you have questions or need resources.