Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in the world right now and it is also something most people do not fully understand. Tons of different kinds of people are affected by this mental illness and when it comes to learning more about it, better understanding it and how to face it can be crucial.
I recently came across a video of none other than Lady Gaga speaking out about her struggles with mental illness and one of the biggest things she talks about in this video is depression. For those who may not know, even celebrities are affected by mental illness. Miss Gaga in this under three-minute video went over something that really stood out to me. She mentions how important it is to know how to say no to doing things that you do not want to do.
People who suffer from depression tend to say yes to most things and move through their lives doing things that they do not want to do. In learning how to say no we can all take back our own personal power and begin to overcome some of the things we’re facing. There is a lot of beauty within that simple two-letter word, it allows us to process our truest emotions and move forward on a note that we chose ourselves.
That being said, saying no is not always easy. In order to begin saying no and refusing to do things, you don’t want to do you have to understand why you are struggling to say no in the first place. Are you afraid of hurting other people’s feelings? Are you nervous about people getting angry with you? Better understanding yourself through questioning your inner voice is something that has to be done.
Lady Gaga has in the past spoken about tons of different issues and her advice on depression and so many other things should be taken to heart. Being emotionally honest with yourself and the people around you is truly life-changing. The speech given in the video mentioned above was part of Gaga’s Emotional Revolution Project and took place at Yale University.
After mentioning her mental health she said as follows:
“I have had to make decisions like; ‘Why am I so unhappy? Okay, Stefani, Gaga, hybrid-person. Why are you so unhappy? Why is it that you wanted to quit music years ago?”
“I started to say ‘no’, I’m not doing that. I don’t want to do that. I’m not taking that picture. I’m not going to that event. I’m not standing by that, because that’s not what I stand for.
And slowly but surely, I remembered who I am. And then you go home and you look in the mirror and you’re like, ‘YES!’ I can go to bed with you every night. Because that person, I know that person. It is your right to choose what you do and don’t do.”
To hear what Gaga had to say please feel free to check out the video below. If you are someone who struggles with your own mental health, perhaps taking her words to heart may help you. As someone who struggles in my own ways, I really feel that the things she has to say in this need to be shared for as long as they possibly can be.
(Image Via: Lady Gaga)