Almost a decade ago, I had a conversation with a friend that made me both infuriated and grateful. I don’t know how it started, but somehow we got to talking about depression.

Essentially, he told me that depression was a made up disorder that helped put money in the pockets of mental health professionals. He didn’t see the need for medication and thought people should just buck up and be happy instead of feeling sad.

Having a grandfather who suffered from depression, I was certain that depression was not only real, but a serious illness. And I was not only disturbed by his reaction, but angry. Although it’s been 10 years since the conversation, I often think about it. I’m not as upset as I was before. Although I still don’t agree with his statement, I do think it came from a place of being naive.  He just didn’t have the type of awareness and experience that I had grown up with.

Maybe I had taken for granted how much mental illness and mental health, in general, impacted my life. I was grateful that I had the experience, both with the conversation with a friend who made me aware of this and also for the affect mental health has had on my life.

It’s something I often think about. Looking back, I realized that I would not have gotten a degree in Counseling Psychology and I would not be working here. It’s amazing how much mental health has impacted me. How has it impacted yours? (We asked our Facebook friends and they shared their answer with us here.)

When Your Subconscious Mind Acts Like a Scared Parent

(Neuroscience & Relationships) – Are painful emotions from your past unknowingly sabotaging your relationships and your life? When your subconscious begins to act like a scared, non-trusting parent, it’s time to take action. This post will help you do what’s necessary to get your life back on track.

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