A wholesome review

For the past couple of days, I've been binge watching the show, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the show, just watch it. It's a comedy, but one that speaks on mental health. But don't worry, the satirical nature of the show doesn't undermine it's heavy content.

Now, I may be writing this a prematurely for I have yet to see all of the show, but from what I've watched, I find it wonderful. Like I mentioned in a previous post, a person's actions may be indicative of an underlying problem. Rachel Bloom's character spends three and a half seasons searching for some type of diagnosis, after spending most of her life being misdiagnosed or labeled as being "crazy" (hence the name of the show). Once she receives a proper diagnosis, everything in her life started to make sense.

I had a similar experience. For most of my life I labeled myself as being crazy. I thought that I was the only person feeling this way and that there was no way to "fix" me. As we know perhaps all too well, the internet is a powerful tool. You can find information on anything. Having access to this powerful tool, naturally I started to type in my symptoms. Low and behold, the first result on google lead me to a website dedicated to OCD. Although an unkosher way to receive a diagnosis, I remember crying while reading the information about OCD... not because I was scared, but because I was relieved... because I realized that I wasn't alone... because I finally felt that I wasn't crazy... because I could finally start getting the proper help. I AM BY NO MEANS SUGGESTING THAT YOU SHOULD RELY ON THE INTERNET FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND SKIP OUT ON SEEING A PROFESSIONAL. In my case, it just offered a possible explanation.

Eventually, I managed to snag a professional diagnosis of OCD, and learned that I was likely predisposed to this disorder. I also learned that certain events in my life triggered something within me that caused me to begin acting obsessive and compulsive.

With anything involving ones health, it's so important that there is a proper diagnosis to ensure the most beneficial treatment. That being said, let us remember that mental health is extremely complex and can present itself in a number of different forms -- don't feel as though you need to be labeled with one specific condition. I'm speaking on personal experience when I say that being diagnosed with OCD gave me a sense of comfort and understanding of myself. I recognize that everyone's experiences are different.

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Don't be alarmed if you decide to see a therapist or psychiatrist and he/she doesn't have any immediate answers. It's important that your therapist or psychiatrist get to know you in order to come up with the best treatment plan.

Don't be alarmed if you decide to see a therapist or psychiatrist and his/her answers aren't what you expect or necessarily what you want to hear. It's important to remember that Dr. Google isn't a real psychological professional, and you should put more trust towards the ones with the degrees.

Don't be ashamed to reach out for help. Don't be afraid to talk to someone. Don't let your insecurities about how/what you're feeling stop you from getting help.

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And as always, have a wonderful afternoon.