A Note on World Mental Health Day + My Top Mental Health Resources

 
mental health and chronic illness
 

I know I’ve spoken about the connection between chronic illness and mental health before, and I wanted to take today to do it again, because there can never be too much mental health talk in my opinion.

I’ve struggled with my mental health for a long time, mainly with an eating disorder in the past and anxiety past and very much present. When I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at 21 it only heightened this anxiety and I’m beyond thankful for the tools and medication that help me function each day.

Chronically ill folks experience depression and anxiety at twice the rate of the general population. And People with 2 or more long-term conditions are 7X more likely to have depression. Twice and SEVEN times more likely. But it makes sense doesn’t it? It makes sense when we’re living in pain and fear, grieving our past selves, and trying to rebuild a future that is so unknown.

So please know your mental struggles are just as valid as your physical ones. 

But there’s also the struggle we face with diagnostic overshadowing → the process of having mental health issues overlooked when you’re living with chronic illness. Why does this happen? Well, many mental health disorders and chronic physical illnesses share symptoms, such as fatigue or brain fog, which can prevent care providers from recognizing the ability for co-existing issues. 

How can you prevent it? Switch doctors if you feel yours does not validate your mental health struggles, go into appointments with a list of concerns and present it to your doctor, get a therapist or psychiatrist to help support you on your mental health journey alongside your physical illness.

And if you’re also living the dichotomy of being a part of the LGBTQ+ community and chronically ill, here are some LGBTQ+ mental health facts for ya (especially because it’s National Coming Out Day!):

  • LGBTQ+ teens are six times more likely to experience symptoms of depression than non-LGBTQ+ identifying teens.

  • LGBTQ+ youth are more than twice as likely to feel suicidal and over four times as likely to attempt suicide compared to heterosexual youth. 

  • Forty-eight percent of transgender adults report that they have considered suicide in the last year, compared to 4 percent of the overall US population.

So with all of this said,  please be kind to the people around you - you never know what someone is going through that you can’t see. <3

Here are some of my favorite mental health resources that can hopefully provide you with some safety + care:

Chronic Illness, WellnessNatalie Kelleymental health, mindset, therapy