Everything Not Said

Hi, I’m Chinazam!
I am so excited to have you here on Black Health Explained. Join me as we embark on a fruitful journey from a Black woman’s perspective. I hope that my posts can shed light on everything not said out loud at times.

I’ve recently picked up a book recommended to me as I navigate my 20s that talks about the different dysfunctionalities of life. Although written to center around love, an aspect of the book stuck out to me as I currently navigate my mental health post-grad. Dolly Alderton in Everything I know about love, briefly expresses how “absolutely everyone is dysfunctional on some level, but a lot of people can function dysfunctionally.” In that same way, I believe that I have been able to navigate my mental health throughout university in a dysfunctional way.

During my time in college, I have found my mental health to fluctuate as life rapidly changed simultaneously. One of the biggest milestones in my mental health journey was transforming from my role as a constant caretaker and expressing to my friends the need for me to learn more about myself outside of my role for others. With this, I also had to navigate my life outside of academia in which student has been my label for years.

I'm sure many people can relate to the difficulty of expressing their individuality outside the roles they play for the next person. In this, I have personally made it difficult to define myself clearly, without the expectation of said role.

Now that you all have quickly toured my dysfunctionality, I urge you all to take steps toward addressing your own. Mental health fluctuates daily and honesty towards yourself and others is the first step to seeking help and seeking support.

The labels you have set for yourself can concurrently exist within your individual interests as well.

Honesty

Being honest with a few friends, family, or yourself can make a big difference in seeking help. For me, it was being honest with my friends which led me to make steps in seeking therapy post-grad.

Prioritization

Although the root of your fluctuating mental health may not be similar to mine, what I found most beneficial, was prioritization. With this, you can find time to not only yourself but the resources necessary to possibly seek help. Prioritizing your time and space can go a long way, from setting boundaries with school and work to identifying necessities in your life. For me, it was moving back to my home post-grad to spend more time with my hometown.

If I can leave you with anything, it would be that living dysfunctionally is okay, even if you can handle the different ripples of life. However, seeking help in the midst of your fluctuation is crucial as well.

Affordable Therapists

Openpathcollective.org

Open Path is a nonprofit nationwide network of mental health professionals dedicated to providing in-office and online mental health care—at a steeply reduced rate—to clients in need. They envision a just, compassionate world where all people can easily access the care they need to thrive. In partnership with mental health clinicians in private practice throughout the fifty states and Canada, Open Path provides middle and lower-income level clients with access to affordable mental health care.