Friendship and mental health

More often than not, people with mental health issues tend to isolate themselves from other people. The fear of showing the most vulnerable part of yourself and the thought of trying everything by yourself is what most likely leads to this isolation. And in most cases people with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, or trauma may feel that social interaction is very draining and maybe even frightening because of how personal it is to open up to others. 

This is why friendship is a crucial element when protecting our mental health and why it is important to keep the people you trust close to you. Just having someone to be with you during tough times, and continuing to talk to you even when you don't want to, can help you avoid hitting rock bottom. Furthermore, although being transparent and vulnerable to your friends may be hard, just remember a friend you trust is there because they love and care for you as a human being. And it is very human to have mental health issues. To add on, in a situation where there is no close friend to reach out to, you can also turn to peer support and self help groups which provide help and encouragement to people with mental health issues, addiction or struggles by gathering people who are in similar experience and issues.