Words, words and more words... Just 19 days ago, I started this blog about 'Mental Illness'. More specifically depression, something that I battled with for 10 years. Now let me tell you, it was one hell of a journey - emphasis on hell - filled with many twists and turns. I made mistakes, learnt from them and moved on.
At the time I started writing, I didn't even realise that May is 'Mental Health Awareness Month' that knowledge came about later. Like with many things in life you start with one idea which then evolves and takes on a life of its own, and that is what happened to this blog...
Over the course of the last 19 days, I've encountered many amazing people, who are battling with some form of 'Mental Illness' on a daily basis. Through their comments and observations, I was inspired to blog about things to avoid and things that could potentially help, but most of all I was inspired by these people's plight against the stigma attached to the word 'Mental'.
No one likes to be ill but stick the word 'Mental' into the mix, and suddenly you're to be avoided. I was lucky, but sadly an exception to the rule, that I never felt stigmatised by my illness. Throughout my journey, I was surrounded by open-minded, loving, caring people and that made all the difference.
So if you know someone who is suffering from a 'Mental Illness' and chances are you do, reach out to them and let them know that even though you may not understand what they are going through perhaps you can lighten their load. After all 'Mental Illness' is not elitist and does not discriminate, and although I would not wish it on anyone, it could happen to you!
2 comments:
I always wish that read and write I say I can but can't propose it as a fact no matter.As child I conquered the alphabet but couldn't read a simple letter. Then later when at a desk in school I studied names of given things and struggled with the odds between a light and feather. I often wondered why at ease we label people even closest friends, ridicule them but wish for better?
Its even worse when you have 13 disorders,2 of them have me "flagged" as a viable threat and left under treated and miss-treated,even by family whom quietly fade away because perhaps whom would want to be openly associated with somebody who when you look up just 1 disorder,names such as charles manson and ted bundy are examples of what I have and always will
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