Halloween is here, and everywhere you look there are haunted houses, jump scares, and spooky decorations. But let’s be honest — sometimes the scariest thing isn’t something outside of you. It’s the stuff going on inside your own mind.
When you live with a parent who has a mental illness, you might carry a kind of stress that most people don’t see. Maybe you’re constantly walking on eggshells, unsure what mood your parent will be in. Maybe you feel like it’s your job to keep everything running smoothly at home, even when you’re completely overwhelmed yourself.
Even when things at home seem calm, your mind might still be running a mile a minute. Worries about what’s coming next. Fears you don’t talk about. Thoughts you wish you could shut off but can’t. That kind of stress doesn’t take a break — it follows you to school, into your relationships, and especially into the quiet moments when you’re trying to sleep.
It’s easy to feel like you’re being haunted by your own thoughts. But you’re not alone, and there are ways to quiet the noise, even just a little. Some people find relief by writing things down. Others listen to music or get outside and move their body. Breathing slowly and focusing on the here and now — even for just a few minutes — can sometimes calm your brain when it feels like everything’s spinning.
But the most important thing to know is that stress doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’ve been carrying a lot, probably for longer than anyone realizes. You deserve moments of peace, even if you have to create them yourself.
And if the stress feels too big to handle on your own, that’s not a failure. That’s a signal — a sign that you might need a little help. Reaching out to a school counselor or trusted adult can be the first step in feeling less alone with it all.
So this Halloween, let the ghosts and goblins stay in movies and haunted houses — not in your mind. You deserve calm. You deserve rest. And you deserve support.
