Pretending To Be Normal Is Exhausting When You Have A Mental Illness

It’s exhausting, isn’t it? Pretending to not have a mental illness when you do. Society makes us do that. We have to make it seem like we have it all together. We have to act like we’re fine when deep down everyday is a struggle. We have to act outgoing and hardworking all the time when in reality we’re overthinking and wondering if people hate us. People who don’t have mental illnesses don’t get how hard it is.

We have to wear a mask and act “normal,” and the stigma needs to be taken away. Nobody pats us on the back, yet we are actively fighting something.

Some days, trying isn’t good enough for everyone, and that’s hurtful, because some days it’s all we can do. We have to actively try every day to make everyone around us think that we’re some form of okay. And that’s exhausting. Nobody taught us about mental illness in school and it’s sad. When we get out in the real world, there’s no set list of things to do or rules to follow. We constantly think what we’re doing isn’t correct, and maybe it’s not good enough. Ever feel that way?

If you have, I can relate to you. It’s hard to feel good enough when society makes you feel like shit day in and day out. What else do we have to do to make people understand that we’re trying day by day? We have to work so much harder all the time to get to even a small place of contentment. Sometimes we lay in bed and think of all the things we could’ve done “better,” when in reality, we did our absolute best. Ever feel that way?

I’d like to tell anyone who does feel that way: You’re not alone. I feel that way every day, and sometimes I struggle to get out of bed in the morning. I’d like to tell you that you matter and nothing you do is terrible and is absolutely great.