If you had a bad cough that wouldn’t go away or a sprained ankle that made it hard to walk, no one would expect you to just tough it out. You’d probably see a doctor or at least tell someone, right? But what about when the part of you that hurts the most isn’t your body — it’s your mind?
October is National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month, which is a great reminder that checking in on your mental health is just as important as going to the doctor for a physical illness. When you’re living with a parent who has a mental illness, you might be used to worrying about how they are doing all the time. You might not even realize that you deserve the same care and attention.
Maybe you’ve been feeling really down lately and can’t explain why. Or your anxiety is through the roof and nothing seems to help. Maybe you’re having trouble sleeping, or you’ve stopped enjoying the things you used to love. These are all signs that your mind might need a checkup — and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Mental health screenings can be as simple as talking to a school counselor, answering a few questions about how you’ve been feeling, or even using a safe online tool to get a sense of what’s going on. You don’t have to be “falling apart” to get support. Just like you’d take medicine before a cold gets worse, reaching out early for mental health support can help you feel better sooner.
You are allowed to ask for help, even if no one else at home does. You are allowed to feel things deeply, even if you’ve been the strong one for too long. And you are allowed to be seen, heard, and cared for — just like anyone else.
Taking care of your mental health isn’t selfish. It’s smart. And it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself, especially when life feels heavy.
