Anxiety and “Just Get Better” – Guest Post by Naomi Sheldon

Today I have another guest article from my friend Naomi Sheldon! Check out her website and subscribe for stories of recovery and lots of bookish fun!

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Continuing to heal from anxiety and mental health issues is hard. It’s really hard. As my mom once told me, “You have to want to get better.”

I know what you may be thinking; “Why wouldn’t you want to get better?!” But it’s not some much wanting to get better as it is being willing to put in the work needed in order to get better. And trust me, there is a lot of work involved. Several people would say to me, “Just stop it!” “Just get better!” “Just quit feeling that way!” 

But I couldn’t. 

I can’t just order my brain to “quit feeling that way.” That’s not how it works. You have to do things in order to get better. It won’t just happen. You have to trust in God and ask him to help you, to make you better, You cannot do it on your own. 

To be honest, I never thought I’d be someone with ‘mental health issues’, writing about my struggles. But sometimes, things happen in life that you can’t control. And that’s okay. It’s okay to not be okay. I know that’s a frequently used phrase that some people consider to be a piece of fluff that doesn’t actually mean anything, but it’s true. Hurting and struggling does not mean you are doing something wrong. It just means that you need a little help. 

But sometimes help is kinda hard to ask for. You have to admit to somebody that you’re not okay, and that’s always pretty scary.  It is, however, extremely necessary for healing. Having people around me who loved me really helped me in my recovery process, because I had people around who were willing to listen to me talk about my struggles and actually be there for me. 

And ‘recovering’ from mental issues doesn’t happen immediately. It’s a long journey. And ‘recovery’ can mean different things to different people. Everyone has their issues, and they’re not the same. But that doesn’t mean that your issues are not as important than the issues of those around you. Pain is equally important in God’s eyes, and God will help you through it. You just need to ask him.