I’m a “cut to the chase” kind of girl. People say that’s rare or that I think like a man because of that, I say there’s no point in dragging out things when you can expedite the process and finish strong. If there are one or more solutions, lets get to them.
And when you have a solution its important to fill people in on that solution… pay it forward… share the wealth… right? At least I thought so. I watch how mental health professionals and advocates “help” people who struggle with mental illness and like they are more interested in keeping people who struggle in the mud they have been dragging themselves in or have been dragged into by others instead of pulling them out of the mud.
OR maybe it’s not so muddy anymore, maybe its dirty or murky water. You know, something that people can get used to and comfortable with.. as long as they still remember their roots of mental illness and can be used to remove stigma.
Creating communities filled with mental illness and suicide survivors is fine, as long as you are promoting the fact that people can overcome those things and live abundantly in spite of that. Or even because of it. Maybe there aren’t a lot of triumphant stories of overcoming mental illness because people aren’t being told they can overcome it. They are being told that life is hard, but they are strong enough to endure a hard life and make sure that others understand how hard their life is.
Removing stigma is important, making sure people aren’t alone is key, but making people believe that they are bound by something that can be overcome is just flat out injustice. We are right around the corner from 2014 and there has still been minimal progress towards acceptance and prevention of and healing for mental illness, mood disorders, and suicide.
It’s why I have to take a different approach to helping people. I’m not at all interested in keeping people where they are, even if that means they go higher than I do. When did become OK to place limits on encouragement and truth? There’s being realistic about mental illness/mood disorders and then there is just keeping someone in bondage; and I refuse to do that.
Look forward to new things from You’re Not Finished in 2014, survivors. It’s going to be a great year. 🙂
Be safe! Much love! Finish 2013 strong.