“STRUGGLE” is a combination of letters, but for aching souls, it stands for much more than that. And while topics like struggling, mental health, and anxiety are taking over the internet, I still doubt that many of those who claim to know enough about it are actually aware of its meaning.
Struggle is different for every person occupying space on this planet. Some struggles are big, some are small and others are more than common. A lot of people think they are qualified to put people’s pain into boxes that one would think struggling is a job where you’re either rejected or accepted based on your qualifications. Except for the fact that qualifications equal the number of hardships you’ve been through in this equation.
They’re most probably unaware that pain varies among people, they’re unaware that pain could for some know a limit and for others not. Classifying the pain of someone is a cruel act and those who practice it are far from being considerate of how you truly feel even if you tell them.
If you ask me, I don’t really think people hate talking about their pain and struggle because they fear being weak, Nah that’s not it! It’s because they fear being seen as nothing but weak. I mean imagine opening your heart to someone and then be ridiculed for not being in that much of a struggle, or for being a little bit whiny you know; because everyone struggles so what makes your case extra special Ha? Nothing should make your pain extra, it doesn’t have to be a traumatic experience or a tragic story. A tragedy could also be not knowing the reason you feel the way you do.
Age has nothing to do with misery, there is no such thing as the right time to feel sad or depressed or suddenly experience some bad panic attacks. There is no such thing! I hope this gets loud and clear; as telling someone “But you’re still young to feel this way” doesn’t make things better or at least leave them the way they are.
Saying this makes things worse because you’re held responsible to blame as if you chose those feelings out of your free will. let me make this clear for everyone’s sake, not doing something out of option, and doing it because you’re out of options could never be the same.
We’re hardly ever understood, and always easily misunderstood. Some strugglers don’t like reaching out, others could stop reaching out; simply because among humans some will hear you out and some will only listen. Understanding that we are in the middle of a struggle is not the most motivating fact, but it will always be better than saying ” This is nothing” when it actually is.
Admit it first, and if someone asks why you’re feeling this way tell them that not every why comes with a reason. That being okay for a while doesn’t erase the moments of not being well that they haven’t seen.
As much as I love the recent attention the media is highlighting on mental health and all related issues, I have to admit that I’m still somewhat disappointed. For instance, you’d see those who call themselves “A life coach”, or “A motivational speaker“- or any other title that I couldn’t care less about– talking about the importance of seeking help when needed.
Or that it’s okay to not feel fine when you actually should; because life is gorgeous and you’re somewhat blind to this, that you’re not helping yourself enough even though you’re trying the best you’ve got there.
But, does anyone ever talk or bring up the fact that seeking a psychiatrist for help is not possible for anyone who wants it? Do they ever mention how costly it is to book a session that could ease your worries? Some people want to, but they just can’t. I’m no expert, but I still know it’s more stressful to think how you’re gonna afford therapy when you already have the weight of the world on your shoulders.
I think we still need a very long trip till psychotherapy is accessible for everyone who needs it, a longer one till we stop ridiculing others’ feelings of pain, and most important of all a short one to our humane side. When someone is struggling be there for them or don’t show up at all; those two options are always better than pressing your judgments when you hardly know half of the agony they have to deal with over time or for the rest of their life.
As long as there is pain there is struggle whether the causes are known or yet to be discovered; going through struggles makes us more emphatic towards other strugglers but it doesn’t mean we will fully understand just because we both know the taste of pain. The roots of pain are similar, they just come with different versions.
