There are a few causes that make me crawl up on my soap box, and one of them is the importance of mental health.

Before I met hubby, who is a counselor and counselor educator, I learned how important seeking out a professional in the field could be.

After life threw me a curve ball, I sunk into a horrible depression. I cried pretty much nonstop, had no desire to do anything and lost tons of weight.

My family was obviously concerned for my health, and after some cajoling from them, I decided to seek out a professional.

A close friend of mine gave me the name of a woman who lived in the Jackson area that had years of experience, so I called her up.

I admit I was anxious during that first meeting. Talking to someone about what is troubling you can be very scary, but after several weeks of talk therapy, my life slowly began to move in a positive direction.

I tell people to this day, Wadine Nelson saved my life.

May is Mental Health awareness month, and I am so pleased to see celebrities who suffer from some form of a mental health issue speaking out.

I think many times people assume that when we talk about mental health, it means someone is crazy. That is the furthest thing from the truth.

Mental health encompasses the psychological and emotional well-being of someone ranging from worry to very serious diagnoses.

And for those who think mental health issues can be overcome by lifestyle choices and or prayer alone, they are wrong.

This type of advice for those of us that have struggled only exacerbates the problem and adds to our feelings of guilt and hopelessness.

Prayer alone cannot cure those who struggle with deep depression or other debilitating mental health issues. This is like suggesting that prayer alone could cure someone of cancer.

Don’t get me wrong, prayer is helpful, even important, and prayer from others is certainly welcomed.

The brain is a complicated organ. With its billions of neurons that work to produce our every thought, action, memory, feeling and experience, it is no wonder that things can become dysfunctional.  It only makes sense that we recognize the importance of taking care of our mental health, our brain functions.

According to the World Health Organization, one in four people in the world will be affected by a mental or neurological disorder at some point in their lives. Currently there are 450 million people already suffering from such conditions.

And according to the researchers that tabulated these numbers, this means mental health disorders are among the leading causes of ill health and disability worldwide.

Until we remove the stigma attached to mental health and begin recognizing it as a real and treatable illness, those who are suffering may never have the means to seek help, some may continue to feel ashamed to admit they need help or possibly worse.

And we have witnessed too many times in the recent past the destruction caused by someone in need of mental health treatment.

I hope by sharing some of my story, others will be emboldened to speak out so, collectively, we can bring awareness to the importance of mental health.

Terri Cowart Frazier is a staff writer for The Vicksburg Post. You may reach her at terri.frazier@vicksburgpost.com.