Why Cyclothymia is relevant to me?

What a word, suicide. There are so many of us people who think about this time and again. I know that it has crossed my mind a few times during my life so far. I think that most just talk about it to get attention from people. The thing about it is to me it is an easy way out. I have had three friends do it and getting over it is something that is hard. The many questions like could I have done something to stop it and when it happens we feel guilty. If you have never had to deal with it you can’t imagine what it is like.

Today was day one back from holidays and it was a busy start. With 8 clients scheduled in and a phone that rang or received frequent texts for new appointment requests. I have been a Psychologist for nearly 20 years now and everyday my practice gets busier. Humans are struggling and the demand is growing.

There are many sentences and cliches you hear over and over when it comes to be a Psychologist. Oh so you can read minds then! Oh I better be careful what I say around you! Are you analysing me now? So tell me what type of person am I? Or sometimes its just a strange look that you receive as someone then quietly sneaks away. Despite the commonality of these reactions none of those reflections even come close to capturing the essence of the day to day experience of a being Psychologist.

We all seem to be in agreement: 2019 was a rough year.

Mental illness does not discriminate; people from all walks of life can be affected. Yet, different communities, like the African American community, have unique needs that are not always being met. One of the most relevant factors in why black adults are not seeking treatment is the presence of mental health stigma.

That expression, “when something is too good to be true, it usually is,” has actually been real in my life. Because of my current set of medications including Lamictal, I find myself harder to brainwash in the immediate present since I started Lamictal until now. The way brainwashing works is that the brainwasher starts off by making you feel really good. If you struggle with self-esteem like I do, then they make a huge effort to make you feel really good. This is why I’ve stared therapy at a local college yet again. I have stuff I need to sort through, skills I need to learn, and in general, I have to get my head together. Brainwashing is a repetitive phenomenon in which you are told the same things over and over again until you believe it. Some people are so used to it, they walk around unaware that they’ve been brainwashed to put up with abuse.

I don’t need to tell you that it is the seventh biggest killer in the world for you to know that it is one you would never want to get. I shouldn’t need to get into details for you to decide that any possible fate or death would be more merciful than living with this. Death is scary, but when your life is flooded by the anguish caused by dementia, many would rather choose death. I don’t blame them. Anyone that has a disease which causes the irreversible deterioration of the neurons within their brain until everything they ever loved or cared about is gone has a right to choose how long their suffering should last. Sadly, life isn't that simple.

The physical health of Europeans is improving, yet the same cannot be said for mental health. Whereas public health has been a priority, it is mostly focused on physical health and disease prevention, with mental health being secondary. Nonetheless, suicide accounts for 1.4 percent of deaths worldwide and is the second most prominent cause of death amongst young people. The act of suicide should not be considered an individual issue, but rather one that affects that person’s family, their surroundings and society in general.

Healing Through Art Therapy

There a lot of issues that are stigmatized in society, whether it be mental illness, drugs, or other various health issues. That is just to name a few and I am sure there are tons more. So, why did society become that way? Was society always so intolerant or naive to these issues?

I wrote this script after reading the screenplay for one of my favorite movies, Forest Gump.