IX.07.2023 - Anxiety Discrimination
Anyone who follows me on social media knows that in the past two years, I have opened up about my struggles with mental health and addiction. The main reason I made the decision to go public was for me as part of my journey to wellness. Anyone who struggles with anxiety has likely experienced the extreme loneliness that comes with it. That darkness can be absolutely debilitating. I was tired of hiding in it, and I knew that for me to improve and get better, I had to be honest with myself as well as in my communication with other people.
Being open about my alcohol dependency and anxiety holds me accountable in many ways, but I also believe that it can help others who struggle feel less alone. Being transparent about who I am as a person has resulted in an influx of positive feedback. Positive comments on Facebook and Instagram demonstrated a surprising flood of support and confirmed that I am not alone. Many of my friends revealed that they also battle the beast that is anxiety, as well as other mental health disorders. I believe that we need to talk about mental health in the raw, personal form in which it manifests itself. After all, if we can't be honest about how dark it can get, we can get stuck and not be able to see the light.
I don't share on my personal social media platforms very often anymore. I have made numerous changes to my lifestyle, and reducing screen time has been a big part of that shift of focus. When I do post on my personal channels, I am honest. Sometimes my life is going good, and sometimes things are bad — that is my reality, but I’m getting much better at effectively riding the emotional rollercoaster. I do share regularly on my business Instagram account for Write on Résumés, and I am open about my ongoing journey to recovery that way as well. Overall, the feedback through this channel has been highly positive, and I strongly believe that it enhances my brand as well as my self-confidence. So when I received a message from a family member who was concerned about my revelations affecting my business negatively, it took me by surprise. I mean, why would anyone choose not to hire me because I have an anxiety disorder?
According to Statistics Canada, in 2013, an estimated 3 million Canadians (11.6%) aged 18 years or older reported that they had a mood and/or anxiety disorder; more than a quarter (27%) reported that their disorder(s) affected their life "quite a bit" or "extremely" in the previous 12 months. Basic activities and the ability to work are challenging for many; most people with mood and/or anxiety disorder(s) are currently taking, or have taken, prescription medication(s) (93%), but few (20%) have received psychological counselling to help manage their disorder(s). The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) indicates that recent research shows Canadians' mental health is worsening due to the rising cost of living — among other stressors. Canadians affected by inflation are experiencing higher self-rated anxiety (33%) and depression (32%), higher rates of a recent diagnosis of a mood disorder since the pandemic (14%), and higher suicidal ideation (31%).
We need to be honest and start embracing the struggle. In the past 18 months, I have discovered so many tools to manage my anxiety, most of which are (thankfully) available to me. Am I worried that someone would question my professional credibility and integrity based on the fact that, among many Canadians, I also struggle with mental health? Not really. And you know why? I have started to believe that my anxiety actually makes me stronger. When we are learning to read, we don't learn every single word at once; the quest for knowledge is a lifelong journey, and when practiced consistently, we continue to expand our vocabulary and, therefore, our ability to effectively express ourselves. It is much the same for dealing with anxiety. What worked for me yesterday may not work today, and what didn't work today may work tomorrow with a few changes. As someone who struggles, I am constantly troubleshooting, analyzing, and checking in with myself. This approach has directly influenced ongoing improvement with my physical and mental health. We, as a society, need to start supporting and empowering one another — being honest about our emotional health is a good start.