Do you find you have have another stigma to breakdown when you hear "it is ok not to be ok?"
When you want to tell someone how you are feeling the last thing you want them to tell you is "that's ok". It is trotted out everywhere but it makes it that much harder for those feeling terrible to speak up. There is a double message, society tells us we must seek help whilst at the same time telling us it is ok not to be ok. So lets look at some of the things we we would never dream of saying to anyone: My partner is violent - it's ok
I think I have just broken my leg - it's ok
I have been diagnosed with cancer - it's ok
I have lost my job - it's ok
I have been told I am going blind - it's ok
I am being bullied - it's ok
My once in a lifetime holiday was cancelled - it's ok
My dog died - it's ok
I'M NOT OK - it's ok.
There are many things that are not ok, not feeling ok is one of them. Any one of the above, and many more examples, can lead to depression. None of us are immune from depression and not being ok. Let's stop saying it's ok, and instead ask how can I help. There is a huge stigma over mental health and one we must all work together to tackle. Language matters.
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