First thing in the morning can be rough. Laying in bed, unable to sleep, the mind races in a million directions. A constant loop replays events from the day before, a week ago or even years in the past. Sometimes, there’s nothing specific to focus on as the chest heaves and breathing intensifies. The prospect of tackling the day is daunting but you kick off the covers and get up.
Most days are good and I often get lulled into believing that anxiety has packed its bags and found a new address. But no such luck. It always returns and turns life on its head for me and my family.
But as much as challenges exist, things could always be worse.
In less than a year, I have known four families devastated by suicide. Those who died were teenagers with the world ahead of them or hard-working, dedicated family men. They were loved and respected, but even with all of that, the pain and illness was too much. It would be easy to call them weak or selfish, but nobody can truly understand what they were experiencing.
There’s still a stigma about mental illness, whether it’s anxiety, depression, bipolar, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive, PTSD or something else. People don’t know how to respond so it’s easier to avoid it. But consider that one in five Canadians will experience a mental health problem or illness this year. What that means is mental illness isn’t a foreign concept. It could be your spouse, parent, child, co-worker, friend or neighbour. It could be you.
A recent article in the United Church Observer highlighted a growing trend.
“Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problem among children and youth today, affecting an estimated six percent of them. The disorders most commonly affecting children include separation anxiety, social phobia and selective mutism,” wrote author Denise Davy.
Reflecting back, anxiety manifested itself in my younger years and particularly in my teens. But in the 1980s, there was little discussion about mental health and most of it got written off as run-of-the-mill teenage angst. It was only when I reached my 30s that years of denial were surrendered.
Today is Bell Let’s Talk Day, part of a nationwide initiative to break the silence around mental illness and support mental health across the country.
It’s a chance to shed some light on a topic that’s been in the dark far too long. The goal is to provide support for those who struggle with mental illness and to let them know that this disease doesn’t define who they are as a person.
But for that to happen, we need everyone to get informed and drop their misconceptions and biases.
Become informed by going to letstalk.bell.ca or contacting any of the vital service agencies we have in the North Okanagan. Compassion and love can prevail over fear and misunderstanding.
But while today has been designated as Let’s Talk Day, the conservation needs to happen year-round. Talk to your spouse, your children, your co-worker or best friend. Talk to your doctor or counsellor. Talk to yourself. You are not alone.
For another column by Richard Rolke, go to http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/opinion/374666351.html?mobile=true
