Dear Customer,
How much information is TMI? I firmly believe in saying what you feel and speaking openly about myself. mental health, but it seems all I get is judgment and shit! When will the world really be ready to hear it?
Nicki
Hi Nicki,
Every year Mental Health Awareness Week rolls around again, and those of us who celebrate bake a cake and play pass the parcel etc, and sometimes there’s an overwhelming flood of denominational social media posts, along with the reminder that it’s good to talk about our feelings, that it’s important not to hold back or feel ashamed of our darkest moments. And then the next Monday shows up, bringing with it a new celebration, perhaps psoriasis week or pancake day, leaving some of those who did speak up, those who may have done what was suggested, who may have spoken openly about their depression or anxiety. sitting there in a puddle of those emotions not quite knowing how to clean or wash them off.
At its best, talking openly about one’s mental health invites and allows others to help, whether it’s a hug or a ride to the hospital. At its worst, you see those who need that help hit hard by cuts in mental health services, tossing about on a waiting list, or just feeling more alone and unheard than ever, like they’ve thrown a penny into a very deep well.
As well as ensuring there are safe places for people struggling with their mental health, there needs to be safe infrastructure for the conversations that come before. Part of that responsibility falls, unfortunately, on the speaker. While it’s important to talk about how you feel, be sensible about who you’re vulnerable to. 90 percent of the people who read your social media post, no matter how sensitive, real, and beautifully written, may not respond with a reaction that you find helpful. Even the friends you talk to directly may not be ready, available, poised, or empathetic enough to listen to you the way you want them to listen. Maybe it’s not necessary, maybe it’s enough for you to hear the words out loud. But if you feel repeatedly hurt and judged, I advise you to be more cautious. Not necessarily about what you say, but about who you say it to.
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