MENTAL HEALTH; FIGHTING THE BATTLE

Every day millions of people suffer with various mental illnesses and depression, they wake up every day to the same never ending battle, or that’s the way it may feel to some or most of them. For most of them it’s a lifelong battle. How can it be fought?

If you’re on medication and taking care of yourself to a degree you are winning the battle. You’re controlling the illness and not letting it control you. If you don’t look after yourself and keep up with the medication the illness begins to regain control. Some people feel that they don’t deserve to be well or happy. They feel worthless and feel that life is too hard , they feel like they should stop trying. They feel lonely and they should ask for help but not everyone knows how to ask for help. So the battle for them continues. They don’t see any other way out and drown their depression or mental illness with drugs and alcohol, and if you’re on medication the alcohol and drugs can cancel out the medication. It’s then that the mental illness takes full control.

Sadly this can lead to suicide. The individuals feel like they have no choice, suicidal thoughts take over them. They feel like they are being possessed by their thoughts. There is a stigma attached to suicide and mental illness and can be a taboo subject but we need to talk about it to help these individuals .

But suicide is 100% preventable. The individuals need to talk about how they feel and reach out for help before they get to the point of no return. They need to reach out to their GP who can refer them to a therapist. They need to TALK, tell them their inner most thoughts, no matter how painful. We need to highlight this taboo subject, so that we can help these individuals. As friends or relatives we are responsible to help our friends or loved ones if we suspect that they are suffering. Mental health needs to be normalised so that individuals feel like they can talk.

We can only normalise it by talking, listening and recognising it. When we see it we need to help, individuals can’t do it on their own, sometimes because they don’t see it themselves or sometimes because they are frightened. Which ever is the case we need to help.If we don’t know anyone right now suffering we need to educate ourselves and those around us, so that we can take action when it is needed. Above all else look after ourselves throughout any experiences that we may have. Remember it’s a battle, sometimes a long one, sometimes reoccurring. In a battle we have to be prepared mentally and physically. Are you ready?

# mental illness # battle # show love # reach out

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