Mental Health: Let's talk about it

I've just attended a talk, giving attention to Mental Health, that was given by Seamus O'Regan at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario - and it was a beautiful thing. 

Imagine it - a group of adults, of all ages, many of whom are teacher candidates, joined together for the shared interest in learning about mental illness, supporting an open forum for discussion about mental health because we need to talk about it. 

Queen's University, Duncan McArthur Hall, September 17, 2014.

Only recently have we become more comfortable acknowledging and talking about mental illness. It pains me to think about all who suffer in silence, never having someone or knowledge of or access to the resources available to find the support to fight for their life - because they're worth it. But though the resources exist and there exists a strong support of the movement to raise awareness, there are some who continue to suffer in silence. 

As we have opened up the dialogue, we have begun to refine our perceptions of mental illness. We have started to talk about mental illness, raising awareness and shedding the stigmas. It is not easy to face your demons, it's harder when you feel alone and you have the added worry of becoming labelled by your illness.

We under estimate our own power, the power to be that person who is there to remind someone, who needs reminding, that they are not alone. We are not alone. Everyone is effected by mental illness, regardless of whether you are a direct sufferer or not, and as we begin to acknowledge the issue, we look around us and we see that it truly does effect us all - we are all connected. 

Sometimes it feels easier to not acknowledge the sensitive issues, so we go on ignoring them, but they don't go away; In fact, they fester. What's great is that society is in some ways stepping up; we have begun to allow ourselves to take a breath and realize that mental illness is a big deal, so we should be talking about it and we should be listening. It's definitely a step in the right direction for society as a whole, but also for each and every person who suffers from a mental illness. It's a feeling of assurance that you're human - like everyone else.

We need to put our health first, by talking about mental illness, our understanding of it will grow and we will be better equipped to help or seek help in the healing process. As someone who has suffered from depression from a young age, simply hearing someone else talk about their experience with mental illness, it empowers you to know that you can talk about your experiences, and perhaps through doing so, you can help someone else. 

There is comfort in knowing that you are not alone in feeling 'not right'. When you find yourself exhausted from your inner turmoil, hearing stories of people who deal with depression and have overcome their darkest days - it can lift you. 

At times, I would find myself overwhelmed with the complexities of life. I was aware of a family history of mental illness, one that my mom always took seriously, always reminding me that our feelings are not our fault, they are simply how we feel. If we are not feeling well, the only way to get better is to listen to our feelings. She wrote to sort through her days, so exhausted from my inner turmoil, I very naturally began to do the same; I began to write. I would let the words spill out onto the page - I would let go. 

Writing is my vice to cope. When I started to share my writing, sharing my world, friends began approaching me to talk and strangers began contacting me, sharing with me a part of their story, a piece of their world. I was amazed at how - through simply sharing my thoughts, posting them online for others to read, sharing the parts of me I'd never shared out loud - I'd helped someone else. It was a gift. 

Sharing my suffering had helped ease that of someone else. My anxieties, my depression, my desire to push forward, to find an outlet, to spill my thoughts, to share my words - had an upside. Finding writing was a breakthrough for me, stressing the importance of communication in creating such a community that is supportive, providing a safe environment where the focus can be put on the importance of each individual's mental health and, as an outcome, we will reduce stigmas and promote the awareness and understanding of mental health.

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