K-DEER Supports Mental Health Awareness with the Molly Stripe Collection

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and we are proud to strike up the conversation by rocking our Molly Stripe. I am especially proud to talk mental wellness, because it's something I've struggled with and triumphed over the majority of my life.

When I go through moments or months of depression, I'm in a space of feeling a lack of functionality. It takes a little longer to get motivated or into action, which I combat with first bringing awareness to the fact that I'm feeling out of whack. Although at time it's really hard to, I accept the place I'm in & the feelings I'm having, and then take some type of action, usually one small step towards mental or physical wellness. Some of my favorite ways to get myself moving in a positive direction is switching up my patterns and practicing self-care. I'll go for a walk or workout, get some sunshine and call a friend to ask how they are. Helping someone else is often one of the best ways to combat feelings of depression and sadness. I'll get a fresh coat of paint on my nails, get a massage or do a mask at home while I watch an episode of The Nanny. I schedule therapy weekly or bi-weekly depending on my schedule and I find that to be what keeps me accountable to good habits and thought patterns week to week. Sometimes all it takes is putting pen to paper and spilling your thoughts out so you can see them instead of just feeling them. Practicing self-care can be hard when you're feeling down but trust the process and there will soon be light at the end of the tunnel.

This month is about raising awareness and educating our community about the mental health issues that our neighbors are dealing with. Depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder affect over 18% of the American population. Anxiety affects many more and is also a condition that goes under recognized and untreated. The reality of living with these conditions is often hard to understand by those who don't, but the goal is to increase empathy and awareness so that everyone is treated with loving kindness. This month is also an opportunity to raise awareness of suicide which can be precipitated by some mental illnesses. 

There is an unfortunate stigma surrounding mental health, and the negative attitudes and misconceptions about mental illness are what cause people to not seek the help they need. The more we normalize and talk about our experiences and feelings, the more we will empower those who suffer to get the help they need. Personally, I see a psychiatrist (one of my favorite people, he always has such wise words to share with me) and a therapist, someone I trust to vent, question and nurture my emotions when they are out of balance. 

The Molly Stripe brings awareness and empathy to the struggles of mental illness. Proceeds of the Molly Stripe support Bring Change to Mind, a powerful movement that educates, supports and fights against the stigma. Join us by starting the conversation to end the stigma!

XOXO Kristine