The Tedtalk That Changed my Life

Many of us with psoriasis face mental health challenges that go untreated. There are several reasons for this occurrence which includes:

• Being unaware there is a problem in the first place
• Falling victim to the stigma of mental health and being labeled as "crazy"
• Believing it's not worth treating
• Unable to afford it
• Under diagnosed by a healthcare professional
• Individuals being afraid to acknowledge their pain

Suffering and not realizing there was an issue

At one point my reasoning for not pursuing mental health help could have been due to any one of those reasons. When I was younger I suffered but thought my feelings were normal occurrences. I was dealing with a combination of hormonal imbalances due to puberty on top of mental challenges due to living with a visible disease like psoriasis. Oftentimes I struggled with anxiety, panic attacks, depression and these obstacles were heighten during times where my quality of life was tested. I didn't realize my racing thoughts, feelings of wanting to isolate, cry spells, increased irritability, and impulsiveness was an issue. I thought it was just a part of life and normal to encounter, thus I suffered without much resolution. I also encountered these difficult moments with situations outside of psoriasis.

It wasn't until I reach my mid-20's that I found out there was an actual name to my symptoms, it was depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. I wouldn't attempt to get help until my late 20's and the above Tedtalk was one of the main things that encourage me to get help. It made me think about mental health in a way I had never considered before. I was so focused on a healthy outside, attempting to achieve clear skin while trying to maintain being a self-proclaimed "fashionista" when my mind and my heart were left to fend for themselves, unacknowledged, tucked away under a mask of happiness.

Making mental health a priority

In the Tedtalk Guy Winch, a psychologist and author discussed how we focus so much on our physical selves but neglect the mental parts. He describes it as favoritism, favoring our body's over our minds. "We all know how to maintain our physical health... But what do we know about maintaining our psychological health?" asks Guy. It's a great question and 10 years ago I didn't have a single idea of how to approach it and the importance of tending to my mental self. Within the chat, he describes how we are more likely to encounter feelings of rejection, loneliness, and sadness yet our mental health goes unaddressed... Often times people tell us our hurts or bouts of depression is all in our head and doesn't take much to solve, Guy explains. "Can you imagine saying to someone with a broken leg, 'Oh, just walk it off; it's all in your head." We don't, we tell people to get help and to heal their physical wound, but unfortunately, this isn't the case when it comes to our mental health.

Please watch this Tedtalk and be inspired!