A Learner’s Mental Health Journey

Hello, I am a learner from Burke, Virginia. I am going to be sharing my mental health journey, and how my home life has affected my academic and social lives as well.  

My mental health journey has evolved over time, initially revolving around my parents’ relationships to reevaluating myself and my relationships with others. My parents’ stage of fighting has hurt my perception of relationships, as it encouraged me to be isolated. This eventually led to struggles in fitting in during high school. At first, I dealt with this by dedicating myself to academia. Excelling at school solely based on my own merit gave me the fuel and distraction I needed to keep going. However, rooting my success and personality on academic metrics has inverse effects when I struggle in school, as my mental health takes a toll as a result. 

As my mental health fluctuates, I enjoy running outside in the fresh air to escape my mind and overwhelming environments. It is because of this that I underscore the need to try new things whenever possible because you never know when a new hobby or interest will be your new outlet for relieving stress. 

Reflecting on my mental health journey, I wish that others understood my instinct for isolation. Whenever I am in situations I do not enjoy being in, I isolate those around me because of my reluctance towards close relationships. However, it is also essential for me and others to remember that while independence can be a way to clear your mind, it can be harmful as you realize its effects on meaningful relationships or inadvertently create more stress. I wish you all the best on your mental health journey and hope you know that you are not alone.