Mental Health Awareness Month 2023

[Tesh Any pronouns]

Hello! For those who don't know me, I'm Tesh. I've been on the Shard for nearly six years now, though I've been primarily active in smaller Sharder circles on Discord the last couple years, so I'm guessing most of you don't know me and I probably don't know most of you. 

For the last few years, though, I've posted a thread at the beginning of May to recognize mental health awareness month. (I'm doing it early this year because my AP tests start on May 1st so if I don't do it now I'm definitely going to forget. )

Mental illness and just brain stuff in general has had a huge impact on my life, and I know that individuals in circles such as these tend to be more likely to deal with mental illness. 

Every year, I share a bit of my experience with stuff related to this and encourage others to share theirs, as well as encourage everyone to change their profile pictures green for the month. 

I started posting these when I was in middle school and developed some pretty bad depression and anxiety, as well as a dissociative disorder (depersonalization/derealization disorder). My entire family has dealt with mental health things of some sort, and that year was really bad because of that. Not only was I struggling, but due to the struggles of my family members I didn't get anywhere the level of help that I needed at the time. I was able to make some friends that year, though, and beginning with that my depression began to lessen. Now I just have occasional depressive episodes but it's nowhere near as bad as it was that year. Over two years ago now I began to do some research into autism and how it shows up differently for AFABs than the more commonly portrayed AMAB presentation. Aaaand I kind of had a "oh wait that kind of explains everything." I have an informal diagnosis now, but decided not to pursue a formal one for a variety of reasons. (I know quite a bit about low support needs autism now, so if anyone has any questions or would like some resources on it just let me know.  Oh, and I should note that autism isn't a mental illness, it's technically a developmental disorder.)

Please feel free to share your experiences below. Just try to spoil potentially triggering topics (and mention what's spoiled so people can stay away easily if they need to). Remember to be respectful and kind and to change your profile pictures green!

You are not alone. 

 

Resources

For people in the US, you can call or text 988 to contact the national suicide hotline.

Here's a link to the website of a suicide hotline in Canada.

Here's a link to The Trevor Project's website, an organization with support services for LGBTQIA+ youth.

Feel free to reply with any other resources I should add! 

 

Past Mental Health Awareness threads!

(I'm going to leave out the first one because I was rather uninformed and the post is just a mess. I'd definitely encourage you guys to read through people's responses to these though.)

2019

2020

2021

2022

 

Some pfps some people have made in the past
Green Szeth

Green old Shard logo

Green Stormlight symbol

If anyone has any Cosmere symbol or something similar they'd like green-ified feel free to DM me and I can do that.  

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

@Tesh, Could you try to green-ify this?

Spoiler

Either greenify the Ouroboros itself, or greenify the background. Both will work. Whichever one works better for you. (Though if I had a preference I'd like a green background and black Ouroboros.)

I personally don't have any serious mental health issues (though some friends *cough @InfiniteInsanity cough cough* remind me that I still need to look after my own mental health anyway). But a lot of my friends and people I know do suffer from anxiety, depression, and the like, and I try to help them in whatever way I can. I'd be happy to participate.

Edited April 29, 2023 by The Bookwyrm

[Medium he/they]

Happy Early Mental Health Awareness Month!!!

I care about mine and others mental health awareness so, so much. It's so nice to see this thread, when I try to help everyone I can with their mental issues.

I suffer from anxiety (and I think also depression) and I have some... traumas and Traumas that I'm going over in therapy :3

I promise, if you need help, my PMs are open, and your thoughts are valid and real.

[Channelknight Fadran]

...am I green enough?

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood he/him]

I am the green ghost blood cat.

[That1Cellist he/him]

Wally is green, but I can make that more of the focus.

I’m glad these threads are here. Mental health problems are really hard to deal with, and I’m glad that people are willing to notice this.

As for my own mental health, well, it’s certainly not great. However, knowing the things that other people deal with, my own problems can’t be that bad, can they?

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

21 minutes ago, That1Cellist said:

Wally is green, but I can make that more of the focus.

I’m glad these threads are here. Mental health problems are really hard to deal with, and I’m glad that people are willing to notice this.

As for my own mental health, well, it’s certainly not great. However, knowing the things that other people deal with, my own problems can’t be that bad, can they?

Your problems are just as important and I know how deep your own problems run. Don't be afraid to get help.

I'm very glad that this thread exists! <3

[shortcake thr/eat]

Happy early Mental Health Awareness Month! Just like Calano, my PMs are also open if you ever need to talk! I want anyone and everyone to know that I will listen and that I do care, no matter who you are, what your race, gender, sexuality, past, identity, or anything else (i wouldn't be surprised if i missed something). I will always listen <3

For me personally, I struggle with... a lot. I'm not gonna put all of what I struggle on here, but yea. I have severe social anxiety, and when I'm in public, I'm really only comfortable when I'm with my friends. but yeah. I'm extremely self-conscious, and am constantly worrying about what other people think of me. I also have ADHD/undiagnosed autism. And considering how chaotic and load I am/can be, that doesn't mix with my social anxiety very well.

okay yeah im probably rambling now so i gues im done talking

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

Oh! And my PMs are always open! If you feel lonely or invisible, I am always willing to listen! As well as about anything you need to just talk about and I'll try my best to help!

[InfiniteInsanity she/her]

My PMs are open as well.

And just like I say to Bookwyrm constantly even if you don't have severe mental health struggles your mental health is still very very important. Any small struggle you have is just as important as the big ones others are having. There are many who would be more than willing to help you through even the smallest battles. Everyone reacts differently to different things so being different in your mental health really isn't a bad thing.

[Cinnamon]

3 hours ago, The Bookwyrm said:

@Tesh, Could you try to green-ify this?

  Reveal hidden contents

Either greenify the Ouroboros itself, or greenify the background. Both will work. Whichever one works better for you. (Though if I had a preference I'd like a green background and black Ouroboros.)

I personally don't have any serious mental health issues (though some friends *cough @InfiniteInsanity cough cough* remind me that I still need to look after my own mental health anyway). But a lot of my friends and people I know do suffer from anxiety, depression, and the like, and I try to help them in whatever way I can. I'd be happy to participate.

Here ya go!

Spoiler

I didn’t know what shade you wanted so I did a few. 

[Edema Rue she/her]

I love this! 

I'm always willing to listen, or do anything you need, and just like most everyone else, my PM's are also open! 

[Frustration he/him]

*Still green from 2020*

[Tesh Any pronouns]

4 hours ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

...am I green enough?

Heh, absolutely. 

1 hour ago, Frustration said:

*Still green from 2020*

I have a few people who follow me who are no longer active on here who are still green from the first time I did this. (Oh no, the lack of Discord emojis is really throwing off my communication style ahhhhhhhhhhh.)

[DramaQueen]

Hi!!

My PMs are also always open, though do make sure I'm in a good mental space myself before getting into anything too heavy. Having people trauma-dump without warning can be detrimental to the listener's mental health.

I probably won't be sharing many of my own experiences here, but I am here to support all of you!! 

[AonEne he/him in an enby way]

My PMs are also open if anyone wants. I struggle with a few mental illnesses, which I've probably mentioned on the most recent threads so I won't rehash. It's hard to keep going sometimes, but it's always, always worth it, and remember, there will be light again. You will be okay again. Life before death, friends.  

[Robin Sedai she/her]

Don't suppose someone could make the orange moon in my pfp green? I'll owe you forever <3

Here's the original file if you need it:

Spoiler

 

[DramaQueen]

4 hours ago, Robin Sedai said:

Don't suppose someone could make the orange moon in my pfp green? I'll owe you forever <3

Here's the original file if you need it:

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Spoiler

Lmk if there are any other shades of green you want or if you want me to do a gradient or anything like that!

[shortcake thr/eat]

would anyone mind making one of these green?

Spoiler

 

with this one, just the background and shirt would be green

 

[DramaQueen]

8 minutes ago, shortcake said:

would anyone mind making one of these green?

  Reveal hidden contents

 

with this one, just the background and shirt would be green

 

Spoiler

Again, if there's anything you'd like to have different, let me know!

Edited April 29, 2023 by DramaQueen

[shortcake thr/eat]

9 minutes ago, DramaQueen said:

  Hide contents

Again, if there's anything you'd like to have different, let me know!

*screaming* omg thank you so much!! I LOVE IT

[DramaQueen]

2 minutes ago, shortcake said:

*screaming* omg thank you so much!! I LOVE IT

I did also do the cat but imo it doesn't look quite as good lol, I wasn't sure of the best way to go about it.

Spoiler

 

Edited April 29, 2023 by DramaQueen

[shortcake thr/eat]

9 minutes ago, DramaQueen said:

I did also do the cat but imo it doesn't look quite as good lol, I wasn't sure of the best way to go about it.

  Hide contents

 

Thank you for the effort! I think it looks glorious either way /gen /pos

[Trutharchivist he/him]

13 hours ago, Frustration said:

*Still green from 2020*

Still green from 2021, which is later but I wasn't on the Shard yet this month at 2020.

I have some life struggles that I sometimes tell other people, don't consider myself as having a mental health issue. I do have RL friends who struggle with depression, and though I don't think I know how, I'd like to support them. My PMs are open in general, but I have no idea how to handle this kind of things and wouldn't recommend coming to me.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Anyone who's known me for long knows I've had intense struggles with mental illness throughout my life. I've experienced severe depression and anxiety and I have fought them hard. But a couple years ago, I would have denied that it was even possible for me to be mentally ill in any way. Because people like me don't have anxiety or depression; people like me don't struggle at all. 

I was wrong. Everyone struggles. And if you're discounting your own experiences right now - "other people have it worse than I do" "I don't need help" "I'm not as important as other people" - then I have to ask you to question that mindset. You deserve to be happy. And not in some phantom afterlife or faraway future either; you deserve to be happy right now.

The soul of mental wellness is self-love. You gain nothing by not being kind to yourself. A future built on a past of self-loathing is not nearly as bright as one built on self-love. You're going to live out the rest of your life in your mind, so I implore you to make it a pleasant place to be. Do things that make you happy. Spend time with your loved ones. Treat your body with kindness - I promise it is doing its best and is not out to get you. Notice the little everyday wonders around you - sunshine is beautiful, but thunderstorms are majestic too. Stay in the moment - the past is unchangeable and the future is impossible to know. Smile more, if you can. Laugh loudly. Let yourself feel. 

If you're going through it... I'm so sorry it's hard right now. The world is better for having you in it and even though nothing will ever excuse what's happening or what's happened... I am proud of you for every breath you take. Maybe the only one you aren't enough for every second of every day is yourself.

I will leave you with a poem that has touched my soul: There Will Be Rest by Sara Teasdale

There will be rest, and sure stars shining
Over the roof-tops crowned with snow,
A reign of rest, serene forgetting,
The music of stillness, holy and low.

I will make this world of my devising
Out of a dream in my lonely mind.
I shall find the crystal of peace, - above me
Stars I shall find.