I never used to look at mental health the same way that I do now.

When I was younger, I never thought much about it. To be honest, I didn’t really learn much about mental health in school until I got to college. Of course, I knew that people had mental health issues, but I never really dug beyond the surface to understand how much they can affect everyday life.

Learning more about mental health has opened my eyes in ways I never thought possible. For the first time, I feel like I’m starting to understand myself in ways I didn’t before.

For years, I struggled with depression and anxiety without fully understanding what else might be going on. When I received my ADHD diagnosis later in life, so many things started to make sense. I spent a lot of years wondering why certain things were harder for me and trying to figure out how my brain worked. Having some answers helped me look at myself differently.

It’s also a big part of why I started Embrace the Unseen. The more I learned about myself and my mental health, the more I wanted to share my experiences with others. Writing about things I’ve struggled with has been healing for me, and it’s been eye-opening to hear from people who relate to what I write. Knowing that something I’ve shared resonates with someone else means a lot to me. It’s also made me want to keep learning more about mental health and neurodivergence because there’s still so much I want to understand.

Since today is World Mental Health Day, I wanted to take a moment to talk about this because it’s something that affects so many of us, even when we don’t openly talk about it.

Mental health struggles don’t always look the way people expect them to. You can laugh, spend time with other people, and go about your day while dealing with things nobody else sees.

I noticed this during my recent trip to Romania and Italy. I was so happy to be there, exploring new places and doing things I’d been looking forward to. But the heat, crowds, and constant stimulation could leave me completely drained. I could spend the day enjoying myself and then get back to where we were staying and just need some time alone. I didn’t want to miss out on anything, but I also needed a break from everything going on around me. I could love being there and still feel overwhelmed. I’m learning not to feel bad about that.

I’ve started to understand why certain situations affect me the way they do, why I need time alone to recharge, and why I can want to do something but still struggle to get started. These are things I’ve dealt with for a long time, and understanding myself better has helped me be less hard on myself.

I think we can be quick to judge what we don’t understand. Someone might seem fine because they’re smiling or going about their day, but that doesn’t mean they’re not struggling. I’ve had to remind myself of that, too. Just because I can push through something doesn’t mean it was easy for me.

World Mental Health Day is a reminder that we need to keep talking about these things and make it easier for people to share what they’re going through without feeling embarrassed or judged.

Starting this blog has helped me understand myself in ways I didn’t expect. It’s been healing to write about my experiences and hear from people who relate to them. I’m still learning, and I want to keep sharing what I learn along the way. If something I write helps someone else feel understood or a little less alone, that makes it worth it.

Mental health matters every day, even when other people can’t see what we’re going through.

What is one thing you’ve learned about your mental health that has helped you understand yourself better?

“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable.” — Fred Rogers