Hi,
In this twisted world, it is easy to feel alone.
It's easy to feel that the world we are walking through is getting darker by the day. It can be easy to feel like you're being swallowed by quicksand.
Suicide touched the world of celebrity twice in the last seven days. Though no one life carries any more value than another, when the horrible result of mental illness touches those in the spotlight, it throws one on the subject, at least for a while.
When this happens to those who seem to live charmed lives, have success in their careers, have families, travel the world, have stacks of money and beautiful homes. When this happens to the people that have limitless accessibility to every kind of help. When this happens to those who seemingly have everything.....
Depression. It doesn't care how much money you have, how many fans you have, how many homes you have, or how many times you have lapped the globe. It's a cancer of the soul.
Although, in the eyes of the world of medicine, this is a relatively new disease, the medical community seems to to be getting further and further behind in finding any kind of real answers. It seems they just keep throwing drugs at it in hopes it will go away,.They don't seem to know what else to do.
Don't get me wrong, in a lot of cases, probably most, medications are very necessary, and can help a lot. but, I don't think that is the whole answer. The side effects of these medications can be pretty horrible.
Those who have been prescribed anti-depressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, etc. should never adjust or ditch meds without serious discussions with their health care providers. Better answers aren't available......yet. But that doesn't mean they won't be.
You often hear about strides and breakthroughs made in research about cancer, MS, heart health, diabetes, as we should. I don't remember the last, or maybe any, news story about strides or breakthroughs made in regards to depression, or Bipolar disorder, or Bipolar 2 disorder or, or, or...
There is certainly no shortage of commercials on tv touting a multitude of new medications with side effects that seem almost worse than the symptoms they are supposed to help. Gratefully, there are also spots for suicide hotlines, and mental illness awareness, which, I think, are helping as far as alleviating some of the stigma that has been traditionally associated with mental health, or unhealth.
Maybe it's because there are some that are still of the mind that you should be able to pull yourself out of it, shake it off. Some that simply don't understand that the disease takes possession of your every thought, filters the way you see the world, buries you.
Medications can help you cope, but they are not a cure.
Maybe there are real cures for schizophrenia, bipolar, and all of the members of their very dysfunctional family. Maybe the cures are out there just waiting to be discovered, maybe we simply need to look harder, further and deeper to find them.
Maybe someday, we will get there. But, the only way to there from here is through dogged research by the capable minds that will push enough, fight hard enough, care enough to do so.
In the meantime, let's do what we can as the non-scientific medical researchers that we are. Let's remember to be kind with our words, with our actions. Let's smile at passersby instead of stare at the screens in our hands. Let's connect with those we know are struggling. Let's pay attention to each other. Let's ask each other how we are, mean it, and really listen to the answer.
Let's do our part in untwisting the world, even if it's just a little.
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Tears of fire scorch my cheeks as I bury yet another friend.
Answers are vapour, life-smothering darkness, a thief of souls.
We push on, treading water, chasing reprieve, hoping for brilliance.
And then there is another........
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Until next time...
May your kindness pierce the dark armour forcibly thrust upon gutted souls.
May you realize yours may be the only kindness they experience, spirits filled with holes.
May you see that the power of a simple kindness can change the course of a life that's tenuous.
May you see it as the lifeline it can be, use it often, use it always, it's free, be generous.
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www.margyreidbooks.com
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