Mental Illness is deadly. We’ve got to de-stigmatise depression and hang on tight to one another.
Sometimes it feels like society says you should be always happy, and that showing your sadness is a sign of weakness. This is far from true–if you were to hold in all your sadness or anger you would explode. We all have good and bad days. No one can be perfectly happy all of the time, that is not human.One day you feel on top of the world, the next you are down. While I am still trying to accept this myself, I know that it is part of life and whether or not others choose to show it, it still happens.
For those who are struggling with mental illness and/or grief, dealing with this pressure to always seem happy can be even more challenging, as a lot of days are low. Sometimes when we are feeling down, we put on a mask to hide the darkness that lies behind the smile. Getting out of bed can be a major task by itself. With depression at times there is no apparent reason for why you are feeling this way. When it feels as though a cloud is hanging over our heads, those are the days we push people away the most. We do this because it is easier to try and forget about what is going on and not bother others with our problems. But getting through your problems and ignoring your problems are two completely different things.
Whether that is talking to someone about what is going on, finding answers to what is causing that emotion, or using coping skills such as drawing, yoga, mindfulness, and so many other healthy ideas, there are ways to help you get through the bad days. It’s okay to feel down.
Remember you are not alone and you are not bothering others: everyone in life has problems. That doesn’t mean you are adding to another person’s own problems if you share how you are feeling. You are not a burden!
The journey of life is filled with ups and downs, which is what shapes us into the people we are. When you’re having a bad day or a good day, remember that people do care about you, you are here for a reason, and the world would not be the same without you.
THE WOMAN IN THE TUB
Did you change the colour of your hair?
The slightest chill you pick up in the air?
You read the book - you know it’s there
Black, black currents in your tub
You hail it out and you pick it up and you throw it away
Couldn’t feel the magic everywhere?
Or feel the love in his latest stare?
So you want out of this despair?
Black, black currents in your tub
You hail it out and you pick it up and you throw it away
One single slice across your wrist
It feels like you’re just another twist
The girl who shall be missed?
Black, black currents in your tub
You hail it out and you pick it up and you throw it away
The girls are jumping on your bed
You watch as the water slowly stains red
Let’s hope they will never forget
The pain is crawling on your face
The wrong time and surely the wrong place
Another life slowly erased