As the title would suggest, today is World Mental Health
Day. For me and for many others around the world, it's kind of exciting. It's
exciting to know that it's on the agenda - that there's conversations, events
and articles today dedicated to something extremely important.
The
topic of mental health is quite a popular one on my blog - on my 'About'
page I have links to many articles I've written on the subject, too.Yet, the
reason for that may appear a little unclear. Most mental health blogs are
written from a personal experience. As I'm currently looking for a job, it is a
little awkward that I write about mental health frequently, yet I'm reluctant
to broadcast to the online world exactly why that is.
I feel
very strongly about breaking down the stigma of mental health. I hope to spend
the rest of my life helping in my own little way to reach out to those with
mental health problems. Yet, I don't want to openly broadcast my own mental
health problems online or in person because I don't want a potential employer to decide against
hiring me. But then - when I thought about the contradiction that this
presents - I know I don't want to work for someone who would discriminate
against that, anyway.
A few
months ago, during a week-long visit across the country from where I was living
for work to home, I pretty much mentally and physically broke down. Since then
I've had a daily struggle - more so than I have for the past five years of
living with a severe anxiety disorder.
The
guilt, the sense of failure and the shame of disappointing myself and
others is almost as crippling as the disorder itself. There are plenty of
things that need improving with mental healthcare in this country. But I cannot
stress enough that one important message that needs to be spread is that you
wouldn't let anyone make you feel bad for having a physical illness, and that
goes for mental illness, too.
Over
the past month I've been suffering from agoraphobia, too. I've been
told: 'Just go outside and you'll be fine', and 'mind over matter'. Whilst
they were said in good spirits, this widespread view of mental health problems
being a case of just not thinking positively enough needs to be further
addressed.
On a
whole, however, this past year has been an eventful and positive one for mental
health. In June there was a mental health debate in the House of Commons. Nobody could
have predicted that several MPs would 'come out' about their own mental health
problems. This definitely got mental health on the radar. Then there was '4 Goes Mad', a week of documentaries addressing OCD,
mental health and unemployment and obsessive compulsive hoarding.
There was
also a documentary on Ruby Wax's struggle with depression. You can find
an amazing talk from her on TED about how none of us are equipped to live
in the 21st century.
World
Mental Health Day serves lots of purposes: discussion, action, communication
and encouragement. There are thousands of words floating around the internet and countless conversations going on
around the world about mental health today.
If you take away anything from
reading my tiny little contribution, be it this: you or someone you love will,
at some point in their life, suffer from a mental health problem. It can be difficult to get your head around if it's someone else – but if you can’t quite understand it, just
be kind.
things like this really make you think, thank you for writing such a strong post!
ReplyDeletei really like your little blog and would love to follow via google friend connect, please add one of those buttons/boxes, whatever you call them. settings, layout, add a gadget :)
i'm new to blogging too so it'd be lovely if you'd pop over and say hi, its so nice talking to people in the same boat.
i hope to hear from you,
laura xx
http://ilikecrayonsxo.blogspot.co.uk/