May is mental health awareness month. A time to examine and discuss issues we all face within our families and friends. Not everyone is dealing with mental health issues but most of us know someone who has emotional or mental challenges.
Sometimes emotional challenges can materialize later in life when the pressures of everyday living become seemingly insurmountable. Some folks may not have support of family or no support at all. Friendships and neighborhood community can be a safety net but ultimately each individual has to cope with their own personal issues. Sometimes those issues can seem too great to manage.
My own experience with a friend who is bipolar has been very interesting. “Steve” and I have been long distance friends for three years. We talk every few days and try to keep up with each other’s lives. My friend has noticeable mood swings. Sometimes he is very depressed and negative about his outlook on life…other times he is exuberant and euphoric, like he has the world on a string. It’s hard to know which Steve I’ll be talking with from call to call, but I like to think that I am someone he can trust and confide in when he is in a downward spiral. Unfortunately, Steve medicates himself with drugs and that complicates his issues. I encourage him to get help for his drug addiction, but he pursues his familiar cycles. You can find support here. I try to be a voice of reason and calm when he calls and seeks support. It’s a helpless feeling to see someone you care about repeating behavior that yields the same result.
I do have friends, however, who have found help with depression and anxiety with medication prescribed by their doctor. When professionally monitored, many of these issues can be minimized and managed. If you suffer from depression or anxiety, please seek medical or physiological attention. There are so many ways to treat these challenges.
Normalizing mental health issues by talking about them with family and friends is a step toward support and understanding. We all need to feel accepted and that comes with sharing our personal experiences. Everyone gets depressed at some point, and we need to take the time to care for our own emotional needs. Stepping back from social media, having a personal and reflective time to prioritize our needs and interests, or just having a night out with friends and enjoying life are healthy ways to regroup and reset our mental compass.
Today we are faced with so many complicated and stressful realities. Our lives are constantly challenged financially, personally and it’s difficult to sometimes compartmentalize. We have so many distractions that pull us in different directions.
It’s easy to become overwhelmed, but remember, things have a way of working themselves out….try not to stress over the unimportant things in life. Look for happiness in the simple things and keep a focus on what is most important to you. Health, Happiness and Stability.
If we take the time to educate ourselves to the most common mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, bipolar and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)…we would have greater compassion for those who are dealing with these issues. Search tips for identifying mental health problems and the resources for treatment here. This is a good time to educate and inform those you know and care about. Mental health is an essential component of all of us!
David Shelton
Freelance graphic artist and sign designer. 66-year-old retiree who lives in Arizona with his husband, Tom.
I have also been a cartoonist, comedian, and have created articles in publications throughout the United States. My focus in retirement is primarily health, fitness, and laughter content.
I create my content based on my own life experiences.
