World Mental Health Day

Two years ago today my sister's youngest son took his life.  He left behind a wonderful wife Catherine and two beautiful sons.  Our health care system let him down.  Catherine posted this on Facebook last night and I couldn't share it on Facebook but I copied it below.  She is doing an amazing job as a single parent!

Facebook post by Catherine:

Today is World Mental Health day and tomorrow marks 2 years since we lost Paul. 

1 in 4 people suffer from some form of mental health problem each year.   How many of them are in your circle of friends and colleagues?

There are so many things wrong with our current mental health system.  These range from the stigma mental health still carries to the chronic lack of trained psychiatrists; to the long wait times, which in some cases, have fatal results. Patients who need the respite of hospital care are greeted with wholly inadequate facilities and hospital wards that resemble a cross between a retirement home and a prison.

It is hard to see where to start in improving the situation.   Many of these issues are too huge for us to fight alone.    But one of the most powerful things we can all do as individuals is fight the stigma of mental health. 

I can pretty much guarantee that at least one person you know is suffering right now.  And chances are you don’t even know.   We are still so reluctant to discuss our mental health for the fear of being labelled crazy or weak.   Social media perpetuates the myth that everybody else is coping better, is a better parent and has got it more together than you have.   I’m guilty as charged of Facebook posts that only show the positive.  Heck I even manage to make life as a widow look appealing at times!!

I bought into the myth that mental health issues meant I was weak for a long time.

I have had depression and anxiety eat me from the inside and I have watched it take down my loved ones.   In each case weakness didn’t factor into the equation at all.   I have fought my way back from severe postpartum depression after the birth of both my boys and to conquer those demons took a huge amount of strength.  I see that now.  And yet at the time I was too ashamed to admit how badly I was suffering.   It was way easier to beat myself up and buy into the myth that I was weak.

So if World Mental Health day teaches us anything let it teach us to start conversations.    Bring mental health out of the darkness.  And if you find yourself talking to someone who is suffering, remind them they are strong.    They won’t believe it at the time but hopefully if we keep saying it enough people will start to listen.

Amen 🙏