Talking to someone about your anxiety or depression can be daunting. You may feel as though you do not know who to trust with this, especially if you are hiding your anxiety or depression from those around you. It is important to talk through and get things off your chest.
Depression is a serious condition that is unlikely to get better unless you start to seek help. This starts with talking to someone about it. This could be a family member, a close friend or a work colleague, what is important is that you stop keeping it to yourself and start to reach out for support.
As Black women, we can sometimes resist getting any kind of support from others because we have been trained to think that we are strong, self-reliant, and able to cope with anything. This can make it hard for us to acknowledge we have any form of anxiety or depression in the first place.
The first thing you have to do is to kill the narrative that says that we can cope with anything and start to think about who you are going to talk to. Choose someone who you know is non-judgemental and who is more likely to offer good advice. Let them know what you are struggling with, what you are anxious about and/or what is making you feel depressed and ask them what they would do. It is better if the person you talk to is a positive person, and someone that you know has your best interests at heart.
It is a good idea to write down the things that you are anxious about and/or the things that are making you feel depressed. Having some notes with you when speaking to your chosen person will help you to remember exactly what it is that is bothering you which will help them to identify how best they can support you.
We often feel better when we speak to others about the things bothering us. Just speaking to your chosen person will help you to feel better. If you are still feeling anxious and/or depressed after talking about it, this might be a sign that you need to speak to a medical professional. If you continue to feel bad after sitting down with your chosen person, make an appointment to speak to your Doctor. This could lead to further help and support.
Whatever you choose to do, talk to someone. Don’t keep things to yourself letting things bottle up inside you. Start to heal by talking about it, that is the first step. Pick your person and start to share what you have been going through. It’s good to talk.
