DAMAGE NEVER EXISTED
“In Honor Of World Mental Health Day"
Written by. Oliver Schofield
Co-wrote: Andi Bazaar and Yevhn Gertz
History of: "World Mental Health Day"
"World Mental Health Day" it was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members and contacts in more than 150 countries.
This day each October 10th, thousands of supporters come to celebrate this annual awareness program to bring attention to mental illness and its major effects on people's lives worldwide. In some countries this day is part of an awareness week, such as Mental Health Week in Australia.
World Mental Health Day was celebrated for the first time on October 10, 1992 at the initiative of "Deputy Secretary General Richard Hunter." — Up until 1994, the day had no specific theme other than general promoting mental health advocacy and educating the public.
In 1994 World Mental Health Day was celebrated with a theme for the first time at the suggestion of then Secretary General Eugene Brody. The theme was "Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services throughout the World."
World Mental Health Day is supported by WHO through raising awareness on mental health issues using its strong relationships with the Ministries of health and civil society organizations across the globe, WHO also supports with developing technical and communication material.
On World Mental Health Day 2018, Prime Minister: "Theresa May" appointed "Jackie Doyle-Price" as the UK's first suicide prevention minister. This occurred while as the government hosted the first ever global mental health summit.
World Mental Health Day is celebrated on 10th October every year, the day is marked for global mental health education and awareness. The day is also celebrated to advocate against social stigma associated with mental health issues.
It’s World Mental Health Day on Sunday, please ask a friend or colleague for help if you need it. Offer support and a listening ear if you are asked and together we can break down stigma. It’s ok not to be ok, be kind to yourself always and remember you’re never on your own.
Good health mental and physical is the crown that well people wear that only the sick can see, the only wealth that truly matters. On world mental health day mind that precious space between your ears and tend to it and to others kindly.
“World Mental Health Day is an opportunity for the world to come together and begin redressing the historic neglect of mental health."
In honor of "Mental Health Awareness" this month, I’ve partnered with friend of mine Yevhn Gertz to help destigmatize the conversation around Mental Health. I will give insight into my own mindfulness journey also share his own mental health routine and stories.
“We just learn to build our life around it by developing different perspectives and taking active steps towards acceptance and healing.”
In this World Mental Health Day, go ahead and break the stigma that surrounds mental health issues by regularly talking to your people and understanding if there are any and help and support overall well-being at workplace.
There's a lot of us who suffer in silence, listen without any judgement, listen without saying any words and the most important and listen with your heart.
"Mental health in an unequal world will not be addressed solely by focusing on expanding access to mental health treatments, but by reducing inequalities." — World Mental Health Day: prioritise social justice, not only access to care.
There are times when something happens and it pulls us back into that dark space, but then eventually we go back to our life's "new normal."
As far as mental health, I think the likes away and taking that aspect away from Instagram would be really beneficial for people. I know Instagram team has been having a bunch of conversation with people to get everyone's take on that and they're taking it really seriously and that makes me happy.
"why the heck do people need to know and really fucking care about how many people likes and comments my post on Instagram?"
I find myself to be extremely mentally strong and I have who are obsessed with the how many likes and comments on Instagram also I find that to be really unhealthy.
I struggle with having to step outside of how I feel and thinking about :
"what if one of my children and my wife was like one of my friend who wasn't as mentally strong and would really be affected by the comments? jesus no." — that would really affect me deeply inside and outside.
It's a tricky and when I raise my wife and my kids, I think about :
- screen time
- phone time
- googling time
- what to post
- what not to post even posting things in real-time
I learned from bad experience I had back in 2015 when I was robbed that people knew my every move like :
- what i had?
- where the fuck i was?
- what i was doing?
Seriously, that to me really changed the things that I post on Instagram. I still want people to feel like they're on that journey with me but I might video something and the post it when I've left the location for privacy with my wife and kiddos.
I learned to take care of myself, to show up for myself, to love myself enough to walk away from situations that or not healthy for my mental health.
Yevhn Gerz, once said:
"Healing doesn't mean the damage never existed, it means the damage no longer controls your life." — It's not about how much time has passed, but it's about what you do with that time as well.
Things like "trauma" and grief don't disappear it can get less prickly — turn fuzzy and or become a little easier to cope with but it never truly goes away.
IMHO = "In My Humble Opinion"
We just learn to build our life around it by developing different perspectives and taking active steps towards acceptance and healing, there are times when something happens and it pulls us back into that dark space, but then eventually we go back to our life's "new normal."
If you think you can’t get rid of a certain feeling, just bury it then. It’s still there but it won’t affect you. — "It’s as the same as physical pain then."
For those of you who are in the process to recover and for those of you who have managed to recover:
- thank you for surviving
- thank you for deciding to stay alive
- thank you for your hard work
You have done so well, please don't push yourself too much. I don't know if this article will reach you or not, but I'm glad that I'm able to write this on Medium.
It's been hard for you, I know that's okay. Not everything in this world work the way we want, thank you for surviving. Maybe sometimes you just want to disappear, but if you can see this article that means you choose to stay strong and face all the problems, thank you for staying alive.
By staying alive that means you've worked so hard to face and solve all your problems, you have done so well. Everything will slowly be better, you just need to believe that there is no problem in this world that has no solution.
There will always be a solution for every of your problem, so please take a rest for a while if you feel tired and don't push yourself too much. I hope you will always be alright and feel blessed anytime, anywhere.
Happy "World Mental Health Day." Remember, it's ok to ask for help. because it's not a sign of weakness.
