I know I'm posting a lot today. My head is much clearer so I must have a lot to say. We are at critical mass folks. Mental health is an epidemic in this country. And this isn't about giving your kids Ritalin for being kids. Or giving pain meds because you sprang your pinkie finger. This is about untreated and un-diagnosed deep seated issues that are affecting our workplace, our communities, and our families. This idea that we've created to of entitlement any time someone gets help or that if you have a condition you are crazy just furthers the issue because it creates fear and makes it hard for those that need help to get it. I know I'm not well. I haven't been for a LONG time. I've been working this process for years and every time I see there is hope I end up discouraged because there is no sure answer or I feel like society deems me a second-class citizen. But I am not living in fear of my mental health issues. I may slip back into fear but I keep coming back up for air.
The reason I write this is because every time I see one of these shootings it breaks my heart. I'm a big strong man but seeing babies, families, and communities torn apart puts me in tears. And before you all jump on me for being against guns while I have made some posts in the past they were an emotional knee jerk reaction. I don't want to take anyone's right to have a gun. I don't want to take away rights period. But I do think it is time that we notice this for what it is. Hurting people who feel they have no answers. I feel that way all the time. I hear people love me. I've gotten help from some amazing people. But in the end I still come back to being called "lazy" and "a moocher" or that I feel "entitled" to get help. Let me ask you...if you were in the same position wouldn't you want all the help you could get to get better and be a productive member of society? I'm the worst about giving myself grace in these areas, and the lies and misunderstandings we operate from just doesn't help those in similar positions to mine. I just want to be better and get back to giving back.
So as I write this I ask do you know anyone that is struggling? Is there signs that something greater may be happening here than just a bad day? If so then if you truly love them you will say something. You will act. The best explanation I can give you to understand mental health and its treatment is this: if you had a broken leg you would go get it set and put in a cast. Well mental health is like that. Your brain is broken. The only difference is you can't just put a cast on it. Mental stability while maintaining life is one of the most difficult tasks in the world. You just don't cope like "normal" people. I put normal in quotes because it is really a relative term. But it is what so many people I've worked with and even myself have cried out. The desire to normalcy. The desire to love and be loved. The want to work within your gifts and let those gifts shine.
If you know anyone you might suspect of having a mental health issue if you truly love them you will come beside them in support and encouragement. You will do anything and everything to make sure they are getting the help they need, even if it is just becoming a cheerleader for them in rough days. Untreated we see too many people die. We see too many people homeless and ineffective because they don't understand or can't afford to treat illness, and a lot choose self medication that leads to addiction and worse. We may not live in a perfect country...I know I bitch a lot about it...but we live in a country with more opportunity than anywhere in the world. We just choose to squander it. There is nothing more important than the health and well being of out community. We are a global village and we can choose to attack those that need our help or we can stand up and do the hard thing: be honest and give our most valuable of commodities...time. I want to say I love you all but my love is broken so instead I'll just say thanks. Thanks for letting me just be me and let it all out ugly and all. I'm not Bi-Polar Goodman. I'm Jack. And one day I'm going to get on top of this shit.
As I shared earlier...to paraphrase Warren Ellis: Don't be a bastard. That is my visceral, shaking my fist at the sky golden rule. I don't always meet the mark. None of us do. But together we can be better.
No comments:
Post a Comment