I just finished reading Jane Clayson Johnson’s book, “Silent Souls Weeping: Depression - Sharing Stories, Finding Hope.” It is simply fantastic and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to understand more about mental illnesses.
Something that is mentioned in the book is the fact that it is absolutely crucial for people with mental health issues to share their feelings with others instead of facing their problems on their own. Johnson quotes a man who said, “Depression thrives in secrecy but shrinks in empathy.”
It took me a really, really long time to open up about my persistent sadness to someone. But after I finally did, I wished that I had done it sooner. Once I told my family, they understood my past actions much more clearly, and we were able to fight my problems together. Suffering alone is the most hopeless way to deal with mental illness.
The more I learn about these health problems like depression, anxiety, OCD, etc., the more I recognize that so many people that I interact with most likely have one of these illnesses. And unfortunately, most people seem to keep it to themselves. They are ashamed and aren’t willing to appear vulnerable in front of others. I truly believe that being vulnerable is one of the best ways to strengthen your relationship with another person. It takes courage to share your story with others, but don’t wait any longer. You are strong. You can do this.
If you want to help others, consider this: When I was on my mission in central California, I was constantly talking to strangers on the street and lots of times people would open up about their personal problems super quickly, even though we had literally just met. That was kind of a mystery to my companions and me. Were these people opening up because they had no one to talk to? Or was it because they could feel the Spirit that we brought with us everywhere, and the Spirit had prompted them to open up? My best guess is that both of those theories were correct. My companions and I would listen to these strangers and instantly feel love for them, and we shared with them the hope that our Savior brings. There were times when I felt inspired to ask specific questions, which helped people open up. Overall, even though my companions and I weren’t perfect "therapists," the Lord definitely worked through us to reach out to others.
So how does this apply to our lives when we aren’t full-time missionaries? It’s important to be kind to others, strangers and acquaintances alike, because you don’t know who is secretly lonely. It’s important to listen with love, and listen to understand, not necessarily to give advice. It’s important to be close to the Holy Spirit in order to feel its promptings. Even if you don’t recognize the Spirit in your life, I promise that as you do what is right, you will be guided in the correct direction without you even knowing exactly how things fell into place.
You CAN help someone who is silently drowning right now. You CAN escape your private sufferings by sharing your feelings of agony with others. You CAN overcome any obstacle with the help of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, whose love you can feel through the people who surround you.
