I’m not going to post a deep and inspiring message from a philosopher , writer, member of S Club 7 etc.or a cutesy cartoon I found on Google or a Carole King song.
All I will say is that if you know someone who suffers from depression, anxiety or any other of a myriad of disorders that sometimes make them difficult to be around. That makes them rude, angry or seemingly self centred and unwilling to accept help.
They can’t help it.
But you can by just being their friend for when they do feel able from under their crippling lack of confidence and shame to pick up that phone they have been ignoring, to accept that lunch invitation, to answer the door.
As that person I love all my friends for the kindness they have shown me, even if sometimes it seems that you have been no help, it’s the tiny pieces of knowing you are cared about that we cling to during those long dark teatimes of the soul.
So when you see them out, smiling, happy, laughing and just getting on with life – you’re a part of making that happen
Lovely post.
The good doctor says it all 🙂
Great post. And you know the most shocking thing? That we have to have a ‘Day’ to bring attention to mental health.
The good doctor says it all, apart from what Niall said.
Great post.
On the Carole King reference, think less ‘It’s Too Late’, more ‘You’ve Got a Friend’…
Nice post DFB. Keep fighting the good fight.
Absolutely. Depression and anxiety are bastards, and no more anyone’s fault than the flu.
It’s so true what you say about being aware that mental health conditions can make people difficult to be around. They also tend to make sufferers think that they’re more difficult to be around than they are – when I’m having difficulties I feel like the most worthless arsehole alive and can’t imagine why anyone would want to be around me. So I push people away and avoid. God bless the wonderful friends who don’t care and show me they love me anyway. I’d say I don’t deserve it, but that’s probably a symptom too.
http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t490/Rigid_Digit/hit20nail_zpsdbuni7we.jpg
All power to you DFB, and all the other folks here who walk / have walked with the Black Dog. Got mine firmly on the leash at present, but the nights are drawing in. Winter Is Coming, let’s all be careful out there.
I echo all that is written above.
Friends are my only tether now. All that’s keeping me from floating away.
I am however reluctant to express my grief to them. I don’t feel that would be fair, so I don’t. I put on my game face and build a wall around my sorrow when I’m in company.
Inside I feel utterly hollowed out. My soul adrift upon a sunless sea.
I am dreading the Winter.
Paint your own sunshine my friend, and share it with us.
Up arrow.
It’s a subject we should talk more about and I have huge respect for those that do. Despite what we know to be true, it seems to me there’s still loads of stigma surrounding mental illness. And also, around struggling to cope in difficult times. They are two separate, but often times linked, things.
I believe this much – struggling to cope is not a sign of weakness. I know this much – we can and should teach preventative measures and coping skills to people much more than we do. In schools they should be core learning.
I think we’d find the levels of mental illness in our country fall significantly as a result.
Look after your mental health as you do your physical health. And be kind to yourself. And others. We all deserve it ❤️
Funnily enough, I had my first panic attack in years yesterday. Walking through town on my lunch and BAM, that old familiar feeling. Work stress, money worries and the resultant lack of sleep no doubt played a part.
A remember to relax a bit and take things slower.
*reminder
Hang on to yourself, @jim-cain x