Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Let's Talk ~ Mental illness

The things we all must remember are
~ we are not alone
~ we can have bad days (and will)
~ we will be sad some days too
~ we can ask for help but....
it is up to us to also help ourselves.

Metal illness is different than the melancholy we all experience and I
will tell you from personal experience, humanbeings are very capable
of learning coping skills to overcome extreme sadness and despair but
we have to chose to.

Many who are in need of aid, tell themselves they are fine while
others ask them to reach out. If this is you and you know you are not
okay, reach out and never stop reaching out. Don't feel you are a
victim rather feel you are going to add a new way of dealing with
things. We all have the ability to cope, we all have days where we
want to give up and more people than you will ever know are where you
are, have been or might be one day. You are not alone.

During a bad day.....
~ do for you what you would do for a good friend. Listen, don't feel
sorry for you but be empathetic, don't push. Bring munchies or flowers
like you would for your friend, with warm blankies and cuddles. Be
nice, not pitying but nice.
~ Know that everyone has bad days so do not decide that everyone
wishes to hear about yours at work. Work is not a place to discuss
problems with coworker or clients. This is where a journal is useful,
just so you can get it out as well as asking for a good friend to
listen, and in some cases, maybe even a counselor.
~ Do not let yourself decide you can stay home from work or not get
out of bed. You wouldn't stand by and let a friend do that so don't
let yourself feel victimized, be gentle but firm. Empowering not
enabling. Make sense? this is a fine line and this is why most of us
just don't know what to do :) we want help but don't know where to
learn.

All people suffer some sort of depression. We all have anxiety. We
are human.

If your mentality is pushing others away, making you never leave your
home, causing you NOT to work, and leading you to abuse yourself,
others or substance, reach out.... you need help. Your mental state
is stagnating and hurting your life, there is another way.

There will be times in life when we lose someone close to death, this
is also a time to reach out to a health care professional, and yes, to
be on medication for a time and learn how you are going to move
through your grief.

I find there is some confusion as to when we need help, a good focus
is, work to develop your own coping skills, talk in a journal, reach
out to another on a bad day (not a work person and someone you will be
honest with, honesty is important) and know in most cases the bad days
will pass, and yes, they sometimes last for a few weeks. If you notice
you are pushing your friends away, your self metal talk has been
viciously cruel and you have decided your are worthless, and are
possibly not able to hold down a job, reach out. If you are pushing
people away, get in your corner, put your pride in your pocket and
stand up for you enough to say, hey, I need something right now, yes,
I am feeling stupid and a little crazy but could you help me please.
Trust me, if a friend says you maybe need medication, they are not
being mean, they are saying it because they care, so sometime, listen
to those who love you.

Suicide is more common than I have ever seen it. In most cases those
around the person feel helpless because they isolate. So again, if
you know you are isolating, then be honest, reach out, only you can
help you and only you can decide you are worth it..... we already know
you are :D