11/13/2025
Mental illness isn't a choice.
No one chooses to be so depressed they can’t get out of bed.
No one chooses to be so anxious they have panic attacks every single day.
No one chooses a mental illness that makes life harder.
Mental illness isn’t weakness.
It isn’t laziness.
It isn’t attention-seeking.
It’s invisible pain.
It’s emotional exhaustion.
It’s fighting battles no one else can see.
Sometimes it’s smiling when you’re breaking inside.
Sometimes it’s pretending to be okay because you don’t want to be a burden.
Sometimes it’s waking up each morning and choosing to keep going—even when it hurts.
So if someone’s struggling, don’t ask why they’re like this.
Ask how you can stand beside them.
💜 Let’s make space for the battles we can’t see.
Let’s remind each other that healing takes time—and that it’s okay to not be okay.
***deAwareness
