| Recently I was venting to my roommate about how frustrated I was that the apartment we were eyeing got snatched up by another renter. "I'm so depressed!" I exclaimed quickly, obviously for dramatic effect.
I checked myself. Was it inconvenient? Sure. Was I depressed? Absolutely not.
Our words and behaviors matter when it comes to mental health. Sometimes everyday phrases that seem innocuous are actually incredibly harmful. Using words associated with mental illness in a flippant way trivializes these conditions and adds to the stigma that’s already so embedded into our culture.
In honor of mental health month, we rounded up some of the ways we may be shaming mental illness and not realizing it (like saying you’re "depressed" when something doesn’t quite go your way). We need to pay attention to what we do and say in order to be more compassionate. I know I’m going to be more conscious of it. Join me?—Lindsay Turn up the Wellness Jams Wellness Jams is a curated playlist from celebrities, influencers and readers meant to help you work out our chill out. This week, motivational speaker Mel Robbins, author of The 5 Second Rule and Kick Ass With Mel Robbins, shares the songs she plays when anxiety is getting the best of her. Take a look at her tunes below: “This music was chosen because these are my go-to songs when I need to decompress, chill, focus or just enjoy the ride. If you’ve got anxiety, you’re not alone. As someone who lived with severe anxiety and panic for most of my life, I never imagined a day where I would wake up without worry, fear and anticipation – the kind that makes getting out of bed seem impossible. The good news? I beat my anxiety, worry and self-doubt and so can you.” Hilary Duff on confidence:
"I have weeks where I’m like, 'I’m crushing it right now, I look really good,' and weeks where I don’t want to have to feel the pressure of fitting into that or whatever ... So, I think it’s just important to find a balance and just be happy with ourselves, we’re so lucky to be here and to be healthy."
 Therapy can be a magical tool that helps you work through a ton of different issues, but there are a handful of things you need to do or keep in mind before you dive in. Reporter Nicole Pajer chatted with experts to get the breakdown. Here’s what you should know:Shop around. It’s okay if it takes a few trials to find the right fit. Some mental health experts may even do a 10-15 minute chat with you in order for you to figure out if it’s a good match before you get started. It’s important to end up with a therapist you trust.Figure out your budget before you go. Some places take insurance and others do not, so get your payment options squared away before you jump in. You can also ask if the therapist offers sliding scale options, where you can agree upon a fixed session fee.Go into your first session with the intention of being honest. Your therapist isn’t there to judge you; he or she is there to help you. Sugarcoating the truth about what’s going on with you won’t get you to where you want to be. HuffPost is now a part of Oath and a part of Verizon. On May 25th 2018 we will be introducing a new Oath Privacy Policy which will explain how your data is used and shared. Learn More.No moon dust. No B.S. Just a completely essential daily guide to achieving the good life. Subscribe here. Like what you see? Share it.Can't get enough? You'll also love HuffPost's Entertainment newsletter.
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