What would you say if you could say anything? Nobody knows who you are. You are uninhibited and you can confess any secret you want to. I think about this all the time. There are things that I don’t tell anyone because I am ashamed. There are dark thoughts that I worry about having but I do not reveal them because I am embarrassed. As human beings we all have secrets. It’s a part of life. Sometimes keeping secrets is unhealthy. You need to express your feelings in some kind of modality. It’s human to want to share your feelings and sometimes you just don’t have the courage to say what you want to say.

I grew up having a lot of shame and fear because of the stigma of mental illness. I have become braver and saying the things that I need to say. Stigma Fighters has taught me that I can be more open about how I feel.

I came out of the closet and admitted into 2014 that I had panic disorder. It was liberating and terrifying at the same time. I understand that not everybody has the bravery to admit that they have a mental illness. It’s difficult because we fear that our friends and family members which address. They won’t understand or know how to respond.

That is why I except anonymous submissions unstable fighters. Because it’s better to share something then hide. It also is a testament to how pervasive stigma is. We need to fight against this and we need to work up the bravery to speak our truth and own our identities. Mental illness isn’t WHO you are, but rather something you learn to manage as a part of your daily life.

If you don’t feel comfortable revealing your identity and you still want to tell people about what you’re dealing with it is OK to remain anonymous for now. It might take a few years to be able to work up the Kerge to speak your truth and I own the fact that you deal with depression, anxiety, or any other mental health issue. I support you in whatever way you need to share these feelings.

Anonymity is actually a powerful thing. You may feel liberated by the fact that nobody knows that this is you writing those words. Do the best that you can and speak your truth. I’m listening and so are many others.