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Breaking the silence around mental health starts with honesty. How often do we respond with "I'm blessed" when someone asks how we're doing, even while struggling inside? This automatic deflection prevents authentic connection and leaves many suffering alone behind carefully constructed facades.

During Mental Health Awareness Month, we're tackling the persistent stigma surrounding mental health, particularly within the Black community. Growing up, these conversations were virtually non-existent—mental health challenges were disguised with vague terms like someone being "touched" or "different" without acknowledging the underlying issues.

We explore the crucial distinction between mental health and mental illness. Everyone has mental health that requires maintenance, just like physical health—it fluctuates daily and needs consistent care. Mental illness involves clinical conditions requiring professional intervention. The danger comes when we conflate these concepts, either dismissing genuine struggles or self-diagnosing without proper assessment.

Therapy and counseling should be normalized as regular components of a healthy lifestyle, not reserved for crisis situations. Think of it as mental hygiene—as essential as brushing your teeth. With today's evolution of mental health resources, support is more accessible than ever, from traditional therapy to mindfulness apps and online communities.

Healing isn't linear—it's messy, unpredictable, and sometimes cyclical. Triggers can unexpectedly transport us back to painful experiences, but growth comes from acknowledging these moments without letting them define us. Whether through tears, walking away, or a cathartic emotional release, the goal remains freedom from past patterns that no longer serve us.

Join our journey through Mental Health Awareness Month and share your experiences through our website or social media. Together, we can create spaces where vulnerability meets compassion, chip away at stigma, and embrace the truth that while silence kills, healing begins with breaking that silence.

Keeping Veterans Fit, Inc.
Keepingveteransfit.org

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