Tuesday, May 29, 2018

It’s Okay To Not Be Okay

Jamie has been mentioning how she has seen a rise in depression in her high school students over the near decade she has been teaching.   And she’s seen it in a variety of forms, especially in the way that it seems the first month of school has become therapy in the form of theater games. 

Wills Point was rocked by the suicide of a student in the fall.  Now Buna has been rocked by one here at the end of the year. 

So it seems important to discuss depression and to do so repeatedly.  In doing so, the title of this blog is the most important thing I can relay. It’s okay to not be okay. 

The greatest lie that depression achieves is to convince you that you are alone. That no one else has suffered this way. That no one else can know, can relate, can understand what you are going through. 

The truth is, most of us are not okay most of the time. We are all dealing with some physical, mental, or situational struggle that we keep inside. We put on a mask to deal with the world, to pretend like everything is okay, when really we have just learned to cope.  Some better than others.

I don't say this to belittle anyone's struggle, but please know that whatever you are going through, it is very likely someone else has faced the same struggle.  In this world of social media, it's all to easy to imagine the picture perfect lives that are presented on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. represent exactly how someone else's life is going, instead of representing the best of what they choose to share.

So, if you are struggling, please hear me. You are not alone. There is someone who cares. There is someone who will listen.

If you need to talk to someone, there are outlets. 

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
1-800-273-8255

It’s really okay to not be okay. 

1 comment:

  1. I had two students take their lives while I was teaching. Both went through events I would not wish on my worst enemy.
    Mrs. Keeler is correct, there is more depression among high school and junior high age kids. I was at my newphew's band concert in Llano and the high school been rocked by a suicide.
    I've not discussed this much, but part of the reason why I retired was I had slipped into a depression my last 2 years of teaching, I literally could not stand the place anymore. I knew I wasn't wanted there and a couple of people told me so... As I have said, retiring did wonders. Now if we could just do something about the kids being across the Pacific Ocean.
    My point is, we all get 'not okay.'

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