Tag: mental health awareness month

Mental Health

You may have noticed that I’ve been quiet for a few months. If you follow me on social media, you know there’s a reason for that.

The most I feel comfortable saying is that some awful things happened in my personal life this year that triggered PTSD from past abuse and multiple suicidal episodes.

And just as I was starting to feel like I was bouncing back, the awful thing happened again.

So, yeah, I definitely haven’t been in a great place emotionally this year, and it’s hard to be online when I’m barely here at all. But I’m trying to get back to a better place, despite it all.

It’s ironic that I missed Mental Health Awareness Month because of my mental health (and I feel like this isn’t even the first time it’s happened 😅). But this issue is very important to me, so I’d rather say something late than not at all.

If you’ve read my books, you know that representing mental illness honestly—flaws and all—is something I’m passionate about. If we only care about mental health when the person or character is perfect and not when they make mistakes, then we don’t actually care about mental health—because perfect people don’t exist.

I try to be honest about my own struggles with mental illness, just as I try to represent mental illness honestly in my books—even when it’s embarrassing, even when it’s scary, even when it makes me feel unbearably vulnerable, even when it hurts.

With as much as I’ve been unable to see this about myself, it’s important to me that you know you already deserve love, just as you are. 💚

You don’t have to be okay. You don’t have to pretend to be. You deserve love, regardless. 💚

Image: The covers of Pirates of Aletharia (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 1) and Goddess of the Sea (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 2) by Britney Jackson on a green watercolor background. Text: Mental Health Awareness. Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons. Arrows to each cover with the words: PSTD, Anxiety, and C-PTSD.
Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons
Image: The covers of The Stone of the Eklektos, The Tomb of Blood, The Assassins of Light, and The Reign of Darkness by Britney Jackson on green watercolor background. Text: Mental Health Awareness. Creatures of Darkness. Arrows to each cover with the words: C-PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder.
Creatures of Darkness

And since I don’t think I’ve said it here, happy last day of Pride! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Image: Two queer women on a rainbow background, holding Pride flags, waving, and holding up a fist. Text: Happy Pride.
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Mental Health Awareness

May was Mental Health Awareness Month, and things have been so tough that I never even took a moment to talk about it. Ironic, right? 😅

If you’ve read my books (especially Goddess of the Sea or The Reign of Darkness), you know mental illness is a major theme. I try to be honest in real life (like now, for instance) about my own struggles with mental illness—because I think hiding it only increases the stigma. And I try to bring that same honesty into my books.

I believe sanitized portrayals of mental illness only hurt us. No human being responds perfectly to trauma, and fictional characters shouldn’t either. Mental illness isn’t meant to be pretty. It can be exhausting, overpowering, and scary, and some of the symptoms (the physical ones, I mean) might even be things people consider “gross.”

It’s hard to write honest portrayals of mental illness—because it often feels like no one cares about that. They just want excitement and action. On top of that, it means you’re going to see the word “unlikeable,” especially if your characters are women. People treat us this way in real life, too; they’re just a little less shameless about it.

But…someone out there is struggling and needs to feel less alone. Someone out there needs this story. That’s why we do it—even when it’s scary, even when it hurts, even when it feels like no one cares. 💚

Image: The covers of Pirates of Aletharia (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 1) and Goddess of the Sea (Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons: Book 2) by Britney Jackson on a green watercolor background. Text: Mental Health Awareness. Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons. Arrows to each cover with the words: PSTD, Anxiety, and C-PTSD.
Image: The covers of The Stone of the Eklektos, The Tomb of Blood, The Assassins of Light, and The Reign of Darkness by Britney Jackson on green watercolor background. Text: Mental Health Awareness. Creatures of Darkness. Arrows to each cover with the words: C-PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder.
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Mental Health Awareness Month

Since Mental Health Awareness Month is coming to a close, here’s the scene from The Assassins of Light where Kara is just…amazing during Rose’s panic attack. 💙

And a reminder that bad mental health days happen, and it’s not your fault. It’s okay to reach out. It’s okay to need medication. It’s okay to need therapy. You’re doing great. 💙

I love you guys. Keep fighting. 💙

from The Assassins of Light

Creatures of Darkness: Book 3

© Britney Jackson

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