War in the Mind by Dani Relle If our heart is sick we go to a heart doctor. If a doctor tells us we have diabetes and that we have to change the way we eat and take medicine to level out our blood sugars, we do it. When a person’s mind gets unhealthy people tend to think they should just get over it. Just like a person who has diabetes or heart problems a person with mental health has to do what is necessary to take care of themselves. If they don’t take care of themselves their mind can get unhealthy. I was diagnosed with depression young and the worst part of my battle with mental illness happened from 18 to 25. Around those times I was in and out of mental hospitals trying to get some sense of normalcy or what I thought was normal. I will never forget. I was in bed and my mind wouldn’t stop, my thoughts were racing a mile a minute constantly worrying about everything. I couldn’t tell anyone what I was going through because I had to be strong. I had dreams of becoming this great gift to the world and I promised my family they would see my name in lights, but this… thing, crippling thing had me so out of sorts. I couldn’t eat or sleep. All I could do was cry night and day. Around that time I had recently gave my life to Christ. I didn’t understand, why was I going through this. I prayed and asked God to take whatever this thing was, away. I didn’t want to take anymore medicine. I didn’t want to talk to another doctor. I wanted God to take this away from me. There were years of me going in and out of mental hospitals until I couldn’t take it anymore. I wanted the pain, and the racing thought’s to end. So I attempted suicide. When I woke up in the hospital I was out of options. So I thought obviously God has me here in this world on purpose. I started listening to God and I allowed God to lead me through this. I started reading the Bible and applying what I read to my life. I prayed and not just cute prayers but real heart felt prayers. In prayer God led me to this Christian therapist. God used that woman to show me how even though God didn’t want this for my life he had made a way through with his son Jesus. People who are going through this now I want you to seek help tell someone what you are struggling with. I know it may seem hard and I know it feels hard but there are healthy ways to cope with depression and anxiety and every mental illness. People who do not struggle with this, you may notice people who you are around that tend to show signs of depression. Some of the signs are: • Isolation/withdrawn • Sleep too much or not at all • Eating too little or too much • They don’t enjoy the things they use to enjoy • Not being able to focus • Crying • Easily irritated If you notice a person doing this, it doesn’t hurt to
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