N E V E R . b e . S I L E N T.
Why Stigma?
Why Silence?
Why Shame?
Emotions are our greatest gifts. To be acknowledged, expressed and shared. Let the world see your heart. Let the world see your good and your bad. Learn from yourself and learn from others. Reach inside and reach outside to others.
If you think you don't know someone who is struggling ....
You are not looking hard enough.
Here are my words on THAT matter. I am posting way later than anticipated because in typical Ange fashion my perfectly planned Wednesday turned into chaotic madness (but - this is how I thrive so I wouldn't have it any . other . way ).
Let's just say my late posting is something symbolic because it does line up with my beliefs (not that I believe in being late - but read on).
Bell's Let's Talk day is SO amazing. Not only in the fact that this year over 6.5 million dollars was donated, but in the fact that there was
131, 705, 010 interactions ....
That
IS
incredible.
That means people are TALKING. We are initiating awareness, kicking stigma, and building brighter futures. However, this should not just be one day ... this should be every. single. day. Which is where my lateness slides in ;)...
I think we should all post a second day. A third day. Everyday.
Ask for help.
Remember to give help.
Don't understand people? That's fine.
Be present.
Be an open and caring person who individuals can trust and rely on in times of need. BE someone's safe social network and have your own!
This week has brought a few happy and sad tears. Some beautiful moments and some frustrating ones. From Women's March to Bell's LetsTalk I've done a serious amount of thinking.. A few days ago someone said something to me which really struck a chord. What they said was that they felt that they couldn't discuss their emotional concerns and issues for fear of job insecurity due to that.
WHAT?????
If that's where we are at as a society then we're not doing a good enough job. Even if it is just a bad day, a bad month, a bad year.. It all starts somewhere.. We should all be able to scream it from the mountain tops ..
" I AM HAVING A BAD DAY... I AM NOT OKAY.. I WANT TO CRY AND PUNCH THINGS " .. We should be loved MORE not less for this!
Mental Illness is a huge umbrella term that seriously encompasses so much it's mind blowing. It effects us from or tiny starting days until we are old and grey. Men and women, any gender.
However, statistically men are much more likely to die by suicide than women are. This is saddest gut wrenching truth. This is what we have all done to each other. Men are more likely to keep their emotions bottled, to not ask for help, and to follow through with their suicidal plans.
Women have more suicidal ideation and thought but men actually are much more vulnerable to follow through. We tell men to "be strong, don't let emotion show". "Be a good dad and husband, bring home the money"..... But we will take away your job, we will give women the power you have (Don't worry feminists I am all in support of this too..) but then we'll still expect you to " be a man" and hold it together and 'bring home the money'. So on top of everyday stress, men don't get to express their emotion, there are higher divorce rates and higher unemployment rates but we still expect men to "be a man" and keep it together... So on top of other hormonal and emotional issues that men and women both go through we have given women an army, and failed men as a society.
So "yesterday" being bell's 'talk about it' day .... let's talk about it .every day. all day. Let this be the one "new year, new you - resolution" you actually keep!!!
- Be mindful of yourself.
- What do you need? Ask for it.
- Who is your safe person? Never need them? Perfect...
- But if you do, know who you can and will turn to. And BE that person for anyone else who needs it.
- And if you don't want or have a safe person - reach out to anonymous communities - there's always someone waiting for you.
Years ago I lost someone close to me. And unfortunately, since then, have seen many more lose this same battle. I knew this person was struggling with various issues for many years. But what I didn't know was how badly. And maybe I was too young to understand what I understand now. I have now watched so many people suffer and known way too many who lost this battle.
When you know people who are struggling and you lose these rare, amazing, raw, beautiful people, you'll never stop asking yourself if you'd done something more ... would things be different.
Don't sit around and ask yourself this question. Act on it. Be vocal. Be emotional. Let the world see talking is okay and not to be feared. You may find you even feel stronger for sharing your own issues and you WILL inspire others to share. Not only be an outlet for others but be an example.
The answer now is to help these souls live a legacy by awareness and talking. The stigmatization has to stop. You'll never know what someone views as their world. Helping even one person may very well be saving the world.
All I know is that ...
Silence is not the answer.
Shame is not the answer.
Stigmatization it's not the answer.
Bells let's talk today was created to spread awareness about mental illness in Canada. Technology is incredibly powerful; social media, cell phone, email, text ... everything is at our finger tips.
Be bold.
Be brave.
The video I'm going to share is someone who had the courage to speak out about this issue because of someone that we both (and many of you) lost years ago. He has so much to share and so many incredible points to be heard..
https://www.facebook.com/christan.hiscock.3/videos/696422083859755/?pnref=story
Resources:
www.suicide.org
http://www.suicide.org/hotlines/international/canada-suicide-hotlines.html
http://suicideprevention.ca/need-help/
❤️
NEVER be SILENT
1-800-273-TALK
http://letstalk.bell.ca/en/
