If you are having suicidal thoughts or feelings, contact 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or a qualified physician / mental health professional immediately.
Ever since I started ballet when I was 5 year old, dance has always been my go-to to release any tensions I feel. I know, what could a 5 year old possibly be stressed about. But even being that young, dancing was a way to embody the better half of you people don’t normally see. I have always been a shy person and to this day that hasn’t changed much, no matter how much I tried to be less of it.
But what has stayed is my dedication to dance as a release from the outside world and the stress that builds up inside me. Dance is not a distraction from the stresses and pains in my life, but rather a healthy way to get through them instead of avoiding them.
Now as a college student, I have been more aware of mental health around me in my community at home as well as on campus.
Seeing my friends and family around me react to their mental health has positively made me more aware and helped me learn about their mental health and the serious problem that it is.
Watching the people that I love that are affected by their mental health breaks me and I know there is no one right way to help them, but by being by their side and watching them take on hobbies or passions that they love, including dance or music, puts a smile back on my face. They are the ones that taught me how to handle my own stresses and roadblocks in my life by showing me what truly makes me the happiest and purest, and that will always be through dance.
In alignment with our mission to encourage others to #SpeakUp about mental health, we’ve created this blog – a passion project highlighting those who wish to share their stories with the world.
Open to anyone, the series features personal anecdotes from members of the South Asian community who have struggled with mental illness – and the stigma that comes along with it.
To submit your story, click here.
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