Mental Health ... the reality

So this is mental health awareness week and it was suggest that we research a mental illness and blog about it. My knowledge of mental illness is more personal. I grew up with mental illness in my family ... it was sort of like standing in the centre of a teeter totter, carefully balanced in the middle, never knowing what, who or when was going to tip the balance or in what direction. As a child, teenager and young adult I had no control over the situation, attempting damage control for my younger siblings, dealing with situations totally outside my scope of understanding or life experience. Watching the doctors diagnosis and treatments make things worse and worse.


So it sounds pretty awful ... and for moments it was ... so what was the diagnosis / condition ... I heard, nervous breakdown, manic depression, schizophrenia, psychotic episodes, post tramatic stress syndrome, bipolar and this member of my family was treated for all of these things.

So why am I sharing this personal information? Because 40 years ago getting help and/or information was very difficult, diagnosis and treatment again very difficult and yet mental illness is not rare, many people suffer either from or with people they love. Knowledge, understanding and support are critical not only for the person with the mental illness but their loved ones as well. Taking the time to do the research, posting the information, all of us reading the posts, this expands our knowledge, increases our understanding and our ability to offer support.

I believe that this entire exercise has had a positive impact on everyone who particapted and I personally appreciate that a group of concerned persons intiated Mental Health Awareness week and led the march to bring this subtle and quite often hidden illness out into the light. Because of efforts like these information is more available, diagnosis and treatments are more timely and effective. Thank you to Sifu Berhinger who suggested it and Sifu Brinker who supported her by making this part of the school.