I am having a break from the blog this week as I concentrate on a few other things, but I just wanted to add something about the reality of mental illness because I posted something on the Dying to Stay Alive Facebook page this morning and I want it to be documented here too.
Today, I am meeting my amazing friend 'D' who has had the most challenging life with severe mental illness (psychosis, delusions, schizophrenia...)
In fact, I once said to him: 'They say I have bipolar, which do they say you have?' and his response was:
'All of them!'
This is the reality of mental illness that I'm walking into today.
This is not mental 'health' which is the vacuous and meaningless term that the media go on about in that typically repressed British way (the 'walk, talk, fresh air, exercise, keep up social engagement, have a bath' rubbish) - which is what's called 'part of being human' by the way.
This is psychosis
This is delusional thinking
This is severe suffering
This is deep trauma
This is stigma
This is misunderstanding
This is life-threatening
This is life-destroying
This is the brutal reality of mental ILLNESS.
Facebook post
'Driving across the country today to see a friend who has been in psychiatric care virtually his whole adult life. We met in a traumatic psychiatric ward admission in Oxford in 2017 and he inspired me to get through one of the most horrendous times of my life.
Most would run a mile from someone who displays delusional thinking and episodes of psychosis but this boy is the most incredible example of courage, strength, and resilience that I have ever witnessed!
We can learn so much from those with mental illnesses.
Stop locking people away and running away from them!
Radical acceptance is not needed by patients - it’s needed by society in general!!
Be kind, be understanding, be respectful, be considerate.
Have patience, have empathy, have compassion.
Show them you care, show an example, show loyalty. Show UP!
And…. If you can’t? Say nothing at all until you have done some soul searching and learnt what life is all about!
Thanks for reading,
Speak to you soon,
TR
www.dyingtostayalive.com
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