Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Break down barriers
• Method 2 of 4: Accept Help
• Method 3 of 4: How to Reduce Social Rejection
• Method 4 of 4: Learn to Express Your Opinion

Many people around the world today suffer from mental illness quietly. They live a secret life, which is imprinted by depression, anxiety, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), social phobias, manic-depressive psychosis and other debilitating mental disorders.

Others are not mentally ill, but are unable to share their thoughts and express their opinions. They may be subordinate to others, because they have not yet found themselves, have not learned to stand up for themselves and live their own lives. If any of the situations described above apply to you, learn to talk about your suffering. The only way to heal is to be able to speak and talk about your suffering.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Break down barriers

1. 1 Remember, you are not alone. Whether you are suffering from PTSD or depression, you are not alone in your suffering. And although at night, when you cry or suffer from fear of sleep, it seems to you that you are the only one in the whole world, this is not so. Millions of people have gone through what now bothers you, and many of them have found the courage to ask for help.
   • Every year one in four adults suffers from mental disorders. One in 17 of these people has a more serious disorder such as depression, manic-depressive psychosis, or schizophrenia.
   • Oftentimes, mental illness is not diagnosed because people choose to hide their suffering. You may not notice that people around you are suffering. But there is a 1 in 4 chance that people you know are suffering from mental illness next to you.
2. 2 Trust that you can improve your condition. It may seem to you that this dark cloud above your head will never leave you, but it can go. Mental illness can have many different causes: genetic, biological, environmental, and so on. Many of them are essentially impossible to cure. However, if you seek medical attention early enough, your chances of recovery will increase.
   • Despite popular belief, for mental illnesses including depression, manic-depressive psychosis, and ADHD, there are evidence-based, effective treatments that give patients hope for prospects in life.
3. 3 Stop thinking of yourself as a weak person. People who secretly suffer from mental illness have the wrong belief that they are very weak. "If I cannot cope with my own mind, then I am weak." This is wrong. If you continue to adhere to this belief, you will only worsen your suffering over time.
   • Mental illnesses are treatable in the same way as hypertension and diabetes. If you go to the doctor when you suffer from these diseases, you do not call yourself weak or feeble-minded. Likewise, your mental health does not mean that you are weak.
   • In fact, a person who admits that they are unable to cope with their life circumstances and as a result seeks professional help is actually strong.
4. 4 Let go of your need to be in control. You think you need to keep everything in your hands. You try to do something all the time. Control your smallest steps. Try to ignore your symptoms. Act like nothing happened. This constant desire to control everything is based on the fear that if you stop doing this and really pay attention to your suffering, you could lose your mind. To relinquish control, ask yourself the following questions:
   • What scares you about your mental illness?
   • What do you think might happen if you give up control?
   • Can letting go of control and seeking help help you release yourself?

Method 2 of 4: Accept Help

1. 1 Do research on your illness. One of the biggest barriers to seeking help for your mental illness is lack of information. If you take into account only your own critical attitude towards yourself and the indifference of others who are not sensitive to mental illness, then your suffering in this struggle becomes unbearable. The first step to overcoming your own misconceptions and social rejection from others is to collect information about your symptoms and about the disease you are struggling with.
   • Search the Internet for symptoms of your illness or disorder. This will help you better understand your problem. Be careful to only use trusted psychiatric sites such as the National Institute of Mental Health, PsychCentral, or the American Psychiatric Association. These sites are in English, but you can find similar ones in Russian.
2. 2 Join a virtual support team. Another method you can use to restore your self-confidence and reduce social rejection is to become a member of a support group. These groups will give you the opportunity to hear the personal stories of others who are struggling with problems similar to yours. You can find useful information, such as folk remedies for alleviating your symptoms, practical tips for overcoming difficulties, and in these forums you can get advice and an effective approach to treatment.
   • Keep in mind that if you have already started seeing a psychiatrist, then you should discuss with him any alternative methods of treatment before using them. Never try to treat a mental illness on your own, because even if someone has the exact same disorder as you, the way you both deal with the illness can be very different, depending on your personal experience. Always leave it to the psychiatrist to decide which treatments are best for you.
3. 3 See a doctor. When it comes to having the courage to seek help, most people go to their therapists or general practitioners first. If you just name some of the symptoms or problematic issues, this may already be the beginning of a frank discussion with your doctor.
   • However, remember that although your family doctor may give you some preliminary advice or even write a prescription, you should still ask him for a referral to see a psychiatrist. These specialists are experienced precisely in the treatment of mental illness and can give you the greatest chances of healing.

Method 3 of 4: How to Reduce Social Rejection

1. 1 Stop seeing social rejection as permanent. Social rejection is one of the most common reasons why people do not seek help and do not receive the treatment they need. Your worries about family, friends, or society thinking badly of you or negatively about you prevents you from being cured. If you are ashamed of your illness or isolate yourself so as not to be rejected by society because of it, then by doing so you elevate social rejection to the rank of something unchanging. But the only way you can get over this rejection is to get information about your illness, build confidence, and get treatment.
   • Research has shown that if people see effective results in mental illness treatment and recognize people who have successfully cured them, then they do not seek to reject or discriminate against them.
   • Another way to reduce social rejection is to stop associating yourself with your disorder. Don't say "I am ADHD", rather say "I have ADHD."
2. 2 Trust a friend. This step is optional, but highly desirable. Coping with mental illness alone is a very daunting experience. If you are determined to break down barriers and seek help, it means that you no longer have to suffer in silence. Get support. Try to find someone who is usually supportive and non-judgmental of you. Share with this person some of the details of the ordeal you are currently going through.
   • Keep in mind that talking about our mental illness with other people provides us with a wonderful opportunity to reduce rejection and lack of information. Opening up to other people can help you overcome your fear of going to the doctor.
3. 3 Become an activist. After you yourself can accept your condition, you should take another step towards conquering your suffering in silence: start talking about it, help others also overcome fear and seek help. Find out where you have regional or national activist groups and how you can get involved in their work.
   • By spreading information and raising people's awareness of mental illness, you help overcome the prejudice and discrimination that make people suffer in silence.

Method 4 of 4: Learn to Express Your Opinion

1. 1 Admit the problem. If it's about living a life that is fulfilling, then keeping silent about what you want can be your enemy. In order to learn to speak your mind and not suffer in silence, you need to admit that you are not raising an issue. The first step to change is to recognize the problem. Here are some signs that you are unable to express your opinion:
   • You are often dumped on work that no one else wants to do.
   • The reward for your work or idea goes to others.
   • You often do what others want you to do, not yourself.
   • You are unhappy because you are not living your life.
2. 2 Define your values. Your personal values ​​are the beliefs, ideas and principles that guide you when making decisions. You can think of your values ​​as a road map. They lead us through life the paths we want to walk. If you often feel that you are suffering in silence, you may be living contrary to your values.
   • If you are not clear about your values, you can learn to define them by taking an inventory.
3. 3 Learn positive communication. Positive communication makes it possible to be more open, honest and direct in communication. This will allow other people to recognize your needs and you will feel like they are hearing you. Practicing positive communication can help you overcome silent suffering and build self-confidence.
4. 4 Use body language when expressing your needs. When talking to another person, turn to him. Your feet should be firmly on the ground. The expression on your face should be polite but determined. Speak in a calm, soft voice, but be careful not to be too calm or mournful.
5. 5 Learn to master your desires and needs. Formulate your phrases in the first person. This allows needs to be expressed in such a way that their expression elicits the least defensive response in others.
   • For example, you shouldn't say, "You never listen to me!"