It's Okay To Not Be Okay

I think one of the conversations in mental health and the like is on the need to speak up, seek help and not pretend to be okay. I think it's a valid and necessary one considering this is the case with many people. So many people are living with problems, and going through one thing or another that leaves them in that state of not being okay. But then, people put on that face that says like all is okay.

That could be people trying to be strong or to just look okay for some reason, maybe because they don't want others all up in their business. While holding in might seem like a better option for reasons best known to the individual, the effects of doing so over time are destructive. The effects are there, silently taking a toll on a person from the inside out. This is why mental health advocates take this as a serious conversation.

The thing with such an effect is that it's a mental one, and when it's mental it's deadly. Most times, we don't see it coming like we would with physical damage or effects. And that's where the issue with pretending lies; in the camouflage of being okay, looking okay, and feeling okay, but there's a silent mental degradation going on, leading to drastic effects on the individual and their health.

There's a hidden cost of pretending to be okay when one is not. It's such that it costs more later than it would have if one had admitted initially they're not okay. Like I said, people could have their reasons for keeping to themselves. It could be personal, but society could also play a role in why it happens. When people come out to speak, especially as a male, they're made to look weak and all of that. I think we can do better as a people.

In cases when people try to show they're not okay, it shouldn't be a time to make them feel they're less of themselves or better than that, because I tell you, it gets hard for the majority of people to come out and say so, especially in this part of the world that I belong to. Society; we as a people can be a medium to help people come out with such and not pretend to be okay when we let ourselves become instruments of strengthening.

Also, to the one who pretends to be okay when they're not, it shouldn't be so. Easier said than done, but speaking out is necessary. Help comes when we speak out. It could be to someone trustworthy and one who could help directly or indirectly. The facade of looking okay and strong when one is not is definitely not a beautiful one. The effects are wide, affecting the individual and even their relationship with others; family, friends, loved ones and potential help.

Images are AI generated.