As said by the late and great Maya Angelou..."When you learn, teach, when you get, give.". That sums up my reason for sharing. I've come a long way from my childhood growing up with Maxine and her mental illness. I remember watching her deteriorate. I remember my fear and anger. I remember my confusion. And I remember my shame and grief. I also remember the information about her childhood and the mental illness of her mother that she was able to share with me. Luckily I also had the opportunity in college and in my professional life to continue to come to understanding about mental illness. As I learned, I came to acceptance. I watched clients. I dealt with my own depression.
Being a Mom myself created a whole other level of understanding. I watched my child grow up and start to experience her own issues. I educated her about my understanding. So my daughter was aware of the impact. I attempted to take the blame out of the equation and look at solutions. She learned that lesson well, as seen by her response when I needed help. J. has never responded with her anger. She simply helped me find solutions. We have made progress. We both understand that we are responsible for caring for our mental health. We are a support system for each other.
While recovery is sometimes a struggle, I finally see the hope. Part of that hope comes from knowledge and acceptance. Mental illness isn't an issue just for my family. Many families struggle. Because I've learned, I share. There are estimates that 1 in 4 experience mental illness at sometime in their lives. The fact is, that we have the power to address stigma. Together we can educate. In that power to challenge, we can take charge. How have you used that power? Are you willing to contine the conversation? Tell me about your experiences sharing....what have you learned about yourself and your illness through conversation? Let's look for hope together......
Being a Mom myself created a whole other level of understanding. I watched my child grow up and start to experience her own issues. I educated her about my understanding. So my daughter was aware of the impact. I attempted to take the blame out of the equation and look at solutions. She learned that lesson well, as seen by her response when I needed help. J. has never responded with her anger. She simply helped me find solutions. We have made progress. We both understand that we are responsible for caring for our mental health. We are a support system for each other.
While recovery is sometimes a struggle, I finally see the hope. Part of that hope comes from knowledge and acceptance. Mental illness isn't an issue just for my family. Many families struggle. Because I've learned, I share. There are estimates that 1 in 4 experience mental illness at sometime in their lives. The fact is, that we have the power to address stigma. Together we can educate. In that power to challenge, we can take charge. How have you used that power? Are you willing to contine the conversation? Tell me about your experiences sharing....what have you learned about yourself and your illness through conversation? Let's look for hope together......
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