Mental Health shouldnt depend on our wallets

Can we talk about mental health, 2020, right! The world is upside down, with COVID its been heartbreaking, death and sickness all around us, but there is so much more to this world than that. There is beauty, and kindness compassion and help. There are places where you can be honest and say I need help. That leads us to ask, who do we believe? our friends? the government, celebrities, the hundreds of online sites that offer help? What about therapists? I think that in times like this we need to trust ourselves first. We have all been in a position where someone has stepped on our feelings, it's terrible isn’t it, in fact it changes your perception of the world around you, and your self worth. All too often we forget to be kind. Someone cuts you off in morning traffic, and you snap at your coworker. Someone said something rude to you and you in turn take that feeling out on someone else. You aren’t a bad person, you're just having a bad moment, we are human. Learning to be mindful of our actions towards others is hard, life sometimes gets in the way, our emotions get the better of us. The most powerful words you can use when you're wrong, are I’m sorry. Be good to others, and yourself. I always say be kind you can't rewind once it's out there, it's there forever and for some it stays with them for a lifetime. No matter how hard things are for you, remember how hard things could be. In Alberta Canada 500 people die a year from suicide. In BC the total was almost 600 people last in 2018. Individuals aged 30 to 59 accounted for just over 50% of those deaths. The highest rate of suicides fall in the age group of 50- 65. Remember the elderly, call them, video chat with them. Keep them in the loop, it happens often that we forget our elderly family members, friends and neighbors, we are all so busy living our lives. Mental illness can happen to anyone, any time and at any age, it can be from child hood trauma, domestic violence, sexual abuse, loss of a loved one, a job, a home, a pet, a physical accident or injury, even a chemical imbalance found in the brain. Healing takes time, therapy, and sometimes medication. Just remember there is a light at the end of the tunnel, we are not alone. To some with mental illness you always feel alone, even in a crowded room or surrounded by family, What can help? friends, support systems, a good counselor that is one of the biggest keys, having someone to talk to. Loneliness kills, and with Covid it's been especially tough for some, those that do not have partners, those that live alone. Check on your friends and family. So often there are no signs, people suffering from mental illness are good at hiding it. You ask them, how are you? and they will smile and tell you great! The look of depression is different for everyone. When someone says they need help, take them seriously. Too often people suffer because there is no help, or they are too afraid to ask for help. The medical systems are overwhelmed, sending people away due to lack of room or beds. Our population soars to greater heights each year in Canada not to mention there is a greater need for funding availability. Western Canada has not caught up with many countries that take mental health far more seriously. Germany, and Switzerland have a far better handle on helping people with depression, and mental health problems, Brazil, and India are close seconds. Money is such a dirty word when it comes to proper Mental Healthcare, this needs to change, money shouldn't matter in these situations, getting help shouldn't be about insurance, and how much money you have. Mental health is not prejudice, it cares nothing about your wallet or bank account. Lack of care isn’t necessarily the fault of our therapists, or counselor’s, there are just more people in need then there are professionals. The average waiting period for help in the USA is 90 days. With technology and the internet there are many affordable solutions, ReGain, Talkspace and BetterHelp offer qualified therapists at affordable prices. Some even offer grants and help for low income families. Suicide hotlines help thousands of people every day. Another problem that mental health patients face is the stigma, we can’t pretend to live in a perfect world, there are good doctors and counselors and sometimes bad ones, never forget you are in charge of your mental health, your therapy and recovery. Mental health advocates are available. If you don’t feel safe or comfortable with the person caring for you.

You have the right to go look for a better suited counselor. It doesn’t mean they aren’t good people it just means that you don’t click together. I think many of us forget this, we think that because we are broken it means we have to take what is given to us. It's a stigma many mental health patients put upon themselves too. We have to take what is given to us. If we can ask for a second opinion from our doctors, why not our counselors? I personally have had bad experiences many of us have, but when I found the one, that councolor that listened. He just got me, that validated how I felt, it was like breathing again. Don’t give up, there are good people out there, with no judgment. That is what it should be about no judgment. We are all looking for something in this world, compassion, understanding and acceptance for who we are, our differences make the world a better place, I truly believe in some ways we are all broken, some are just better at hiding it. No one is perfect, so again be good, be kind, that person needs someone to see them as a person, not just a mental health patient. Sometimes it's not a matter of fixing a person's problems it's about listening, seeing us for who we are. Beautiful people. Remember the word Namaste, it means I see you. So see us for who we are fragile, strong, fearful, brave, people just like you. #mentalhealthawareness

If you're struggling try one of these sites.

BetterHelp

Regain

TalkSpace

FaithfulCounseling

TC TeenCounseling