Mental Health in the Modern World: Why Is It So Hard to Ask for Help?
These days, everyone talks about the importance of mental health. But I’ll be honest—I didn’t know how to take care of mine for a long time. I carried it all inside, telling myself, “You can handle this.” And yet, deep down, I wished someone would see that I wasn’t okay. Why is it still so hard to say, “I need help”? And why does asking sometimes feel even harder than the struggle itself?
When I’m Always “The Strong One”
I used to tell myself for years: “Just keep it together.” At work, at home, with friends. So I kept pushing through, being the one who had it all under control. The one who figured everything out. But one day, I hit a wall. I started feeling exhausted. Unmotivated. I would wake up in the morning and just wish for some peace. Instead of giving myself that space, I put on the “everything is fine” mask and kept pushing forward—until I couldn’t anymore.
When You Keep It Inside for Too Long
Maybe you know the feeling. You keep going, even when you’ve been running on empty for ages. And then one day, you just can’t anymore.
For me, relief came from a simple sentence I finally said to a friend: “I don’t feel okay. Can I talk to you?” And suddenly, I felt lighter. Maybe for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t pretending. That’s when I realized how much I had been bottling up inside.
Why Do We Feel Like We Have to Handle Everything Alone?
Even though mental health is openly discussed nowadays, deep down, there’s still this belief that “not handling something” means weakness. Maybe it’s something we were taught growing up. Maybe it’s just the pressure we put on ourselves. But I felt it for a long time.
"Don’t complain. Don’t cry. Just deal with it."
So I did—until I couldn’t anymore.
When I Allow Myself to Ask for Help
Now I know that saying, “I’m not okay,” isn’t weakness. It’s a step back to myself. I’m still learning to embrace the moments when I don’t feel strong.
I started going to therapy. I talk to people who truly see me and support me. I allow myself to feel—even when it means being vulnerable.
My Small Ritual for When the World Feels Heavy
On days when everything feels overwhelming, this helps me:
- Sitting with myself for a moment.
- Closing my eyes and just breathing for a few minutes.
- Placing my hand on my heart and telling myself: “I have the right to feel exactly as I do.”
It’s my anchor. A reminder that I’m not alone.
And in the End?
I won’t pretend I’ve figured it all out. Life is a constant lesson. But now I know that asking for help doesn’t make me weak. And that I don’t have to force my way through everything. Maybe, the moment we allow ourselves to slow down and open up, we start finding our way back to ourselves.
With love, I’m sharing my personal affirmations—gentle reminders to myself:
Personal Affirmations for Inner Peace
- “I have the right not to be okay every day.”
- “I allow myself to feel everything that arises within me.”
- “I breathe slowly and give myself space.”
- “My peace does not depend on what others think of me.”
- “When I need help, I know I can ask for it.”
- “I am enough—even on the days I feel weak.”
- “I deserve love, even when I am not perfect.”
A Woman Who Writes About Life As It Really Is
Antonie is a woman who knows the power of human stories and isn’t afraid to write about them. She has gone through burnout, loneliness, and the search for a balance between caring for others and herself. She is a mother who shares custody of her children, a partner, a friend, and a woman who sometimes doesn’t know what comes next. But it is this authenticity that gives her the courage to address topics that others often hide behind smiles. She herself says that writing is her way of naming things aloud and perhaps helping others feel less alone. In Antonie’s writings, you will find honesty, perspective, and motivation that you can rise again, even from rock bottom. She believes in the power of friendship, love, and simple rituals that help manage everyday reality.
