Blogging For Mental Health
As soon as I saw this, I had to join in!
Mental health affects everyone and everything we do. Yet, mental health is a topic many don’t feel comfortable discussing. Today, May 16, 2012, the American Health Association ask bloggers to spread the word about the importance of good mental health and reduce its stigma.
Here’s the request:
Join us on Wednesday, May 16, and publish a post on your blog about mental health’s importance, how we can diminish stigma, or the challenges of making lifestyle and behavior changes. Tell your story. Share your experience. Mental health affects everything we do. No matter what you regularly blog about, there’s a way to incorporate mental health.
Well, as regular readers know this is a subject I write a lot about. I don’t think it’s one we can avoid as health bloggers. In one form or another, we have all touched on it.
We now know that the incidence of depression following a cancer diagnosis is high. While most people will understand that dealing with a chronic illness like cancer causes depression, not everyone understands that depression can go on for many months and even years after cancer treatment has ended (one of the most frequent searches that comes up on my blog analytics is “depression following cancer”). What is even less well understood is the depression that seemingly comes out of nowhere for no apparent reason and there is less support and understanding for this.
Depression is an isolating and lonely place and people are reluctant to talk about it for fear of being stigmatised or just plain misunderstood – which of course adds to the feelings of isolation and loneliness. Like Eleanor Rigby (with a face that we keep in a jar) we put on a mask to face the world, because it isn’t socially acceptable to wear any other face.
Ah yes. The mask. I have written about my mask here on several occasions, and I am admitting that I have felt forced to wear it again recently, when really I have wanted to howl at the despair I am feeling after my mother’s death and the loss of my baby. While it may seem like I am coping on the outside, I am struggling inside. What helps is knowing that I am not alone. Knowing that this is a universal struggle so many of us deal with everyday. I wish we didn’t have to hide it, but sometimes in order to appear like “normal” functioning adults we do.
The title of this challenge is blogging for mental health and it is very apt for me – because, as I have also written here many times, it is blogging that has saved my mental health. Knowing that there is a place where I can write from my heart, a place where I can take off my mask, and know that I am being heard, held and understood is so healing.
If you want to join me in this challenge, then you will find all the details you need here. I hope you do for I know how empowering it is when we can speak out about our struggles with depression, and help each other find ways to better mental health.
I want to end this with a quote I shared earlier today on the JBBC Facebook page. I think it is a beautiful reminder to us to deal compassionately with each other. The greatest gift we have to give is our compassion – to let others know they are not alone in their struggles.
Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into the places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human.
― Henri J.M. Nouwen
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Link between cancer and depression
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The loneliness of the long-distance cancer survivor
A wonderful post Marie and yes, I think writing and sharing must be the most cathartic and helpful way of helping with one’s emotions and releasing your mask etc. Always thinking of you x
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Thanks Lorna..for everything x
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A beautiful post, Marie–and thank you for hooking me up with this wonderful plan of the Mental Health Blog Day. I’m pleased to participate.
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Wonderful Candida – it was made for you! Looking forward to reading your post.
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Thanks for alerting us to this day; my post is here: http://metanoia-mrc.blogspot.com/2012/05/blogging-for-mental-health.html
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Thanks Robin – looking fwd to reading it
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A beautifully written and compassionate post – thanks for all you do on Marie to shed a light into the darkness of depression
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Excellent post, as usual, Marie. I’m struck by how pervasive depression is in our society. It’s a global issue, but particularly prevalent in affluent countries. A paradox of sorts. Often trivialized, this mental illness needs to be taken seriously. So many relationship problems could be solved if we addressed it head on. Thanks for taking up the gauntlet and for your honesty. xx
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That is such a good point Jan about how prevalent it is in affluent societies – interesting to ponder on the reasons why that is
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Marie,
This is beautiful and so powerful. As another mom who has lost a child, I am sorry to hear of your loss. As a psychologist and advocate for mental health, I appreciate your strong voice. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your story. I look forward to reading more.
Warmly,
Ann
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Ann, I follow you on Twitter and I was so pleased to read your comment here – thank you for taking the time to do so..
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I, too, have suffered from depression in the 1970s and the 1980s. For some reason I was not depressed about breast cancer – probably denial. Or many because breast cancer did not have the same stigma attached and I got more support.
I will blog about mental illness today. Thanks for the heads-up.
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Lois, thank you for commenting and your experience was the same as mine. I wasn’t depressed when I had breast cancer either. I am looking forward to reading what you write,.
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Marie,
I need to put the finishing touches on my post rather quickly I guess. I read this earlier thinking May 16th was tomorrow! This is such an important topic, I have to take part. Off to finish…
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So important Nancy – looking forward to reading your post
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Yes! So well said, Marie. I love the idea of Eleanor Rigby’s mask and though I know that song well, I’d never thought about what it means. Wondering if I have time to dash off a post on this most important topic between carpool and my dinner party….
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You have time 🙂 And why be time bound…if not today, write it tomorrow or the next day..but please do write it x
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Marie, it’s ironic that the post I shared for Mother’s Day had to do with my mother’s mental illness. Here’s that link. http://accidentalamazon.com/blog/2009/07/11/sleeping-with-the-light-on/
Depression and mental illness are things I have literally lived with all my life. I wrote an extensive post about depression and cancer a few months back, with several links in it for further help. Here it is: http://accidentalamazon.com/blog/2011/11/11/depression-and-cancer-an-insiders-view/
We cannot do enough to get the word out. There are still many challenges in treating mental illness effectively, but more than ever, many of us need not suffer.
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Marie, WordPress has been plaguing me lately, so this may be a repeat comment. If it is you can delete it.
Ironically, for Mother’s Day, I reposted a blog I’d written about my mother’s mental illness: http://accidentalamazon.com/blog/2009/07/11/sleeping-with-the-light-on/
I’ve literally lived with depression and mental illness all my life. I wrote an extensive post, with some helpful links, about six months ago about depression and cancer. Here’s that link: http://accidentalamazon.com/blog/2011/11/11/depression-and-cancer-an-insiders-view/
We cannot do enough to make people aware. There is still a long way to go in developing effective treatment for all mental illness, but many of us need not suffer needlessly anymore.
xoxo, Kathi
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I just read your post Kathi and it is so powerful!
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Thank you so much for throwing the gauntlet in my direction too – it is great to wake up to this conversation. In more ways than one!
My brief, late night, connectivity constrained ramblings – http://feistybluegeckofightsback.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/blogging-for-mental-health/
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Such an important topic, Marie. I really appreciate your description of The Mask, and – like you – am finding blogging, and the supportiveness of the breast cancer cyberworld, downright therapeutic. I would take up the challenge but am about to head off on a breast cancer ‘retreat’ organised and subsidised by our local Cancer Council, so things are a little chaotic – but I hope this will be an isolation-busting, mental health-boosting experience in itself!
PS I am SOOO glad to see you share my interpretation of that line in ‘Elenor Rigby’!! A couple of years ago my sons asked me to explain that line (which i LOVE, by the way) and I used a description just like yours, to do with her ‘social face’. My husband then said that he thought the line referred to make up – I was appalled at his literalness (it was one of those moments when you stare dumbfounded at your partner of 20 years and feel like you barely know them!). After some impassioned argument I threw the issue open on FB. The most heated debate that my FB page has ever witnessed then took place, with most of my (so-called!!) ‘friends’ supporting the makeup interpretation. Only two friends took the same view as I did – .and we were completely affronted. The argument raged for days – if only we’d had your eloquent self in our corner!!!
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Oh Liz, you did make me smile. It’s not unknown for me to have those kind of arguments with my husband too. It never once occurred to me that there was any other interpretation of that line other than the one we both think. It also make me reflect that I was a young girl when I first heard that song – and that line struck me forcibly even way back then – I guess I have been practicing wearing a mask for even longer than I realized! Enjoy your retreat x
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PPS Please excuse typos – I am hopeless w/this iPad keyboard!!
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I love the fact that you talk about the “mask” that most of us feel forced to wear in order to hide what we really carry inside…
I have been wearing the mask for too long and, like you, blogging is helping me take it off, which I hope helps my health, both physical and mental.
Thanks for sharing these thoughts. I hope it make people see that showing what we really feel is not a bad thing… The “mask” is another of the social stigmas we should destroy 🙂 We should feel free to show our real selves
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Wonderful comment! Thank you for taking the time to leave it here. I read your wonderful post on your Dad’s illness too.
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I so agree with everything you have said here and feel it is one of the most important issues facing us all in our lives. So much of what I blog is about appreciating the small things in life and finding creative ways of being here, as long as we are. Even my curent post coincidently is still on the same topic! I am where I am….. feel what I feel, notice it and live it as best I can!!
http://www.foxglovelane.blogspot.com/2012/05/tea-break-time-and-i-am-oblivious.html
Thank you for all you do and for using your influence for good will have a look at the link too, a great idea x Catherine
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Catherine, thanks so much for sharing this link to your blog – I am looking forward to checking it out. I always love the incredible pictures you take and the images you share
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Here’s the link to my post called, “Cancer, Depression & the Fear Factor.” I believe addressing mental health is an important piece that is missing in cancer care. Thanks for letting me share, Marie, and for the challenge.
http://nancyspoint.com/mental-illness-the-dark-cloud-the-fear-factor/
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Looking forward to reading it – I just know it will be superb!
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Hello, dear. Leaving the link here, as you asked on Twitter. I’m even more motivated to do so because I feel it’s such an important piece for people to see–it addresses the mental health crisis in America, and how we’re simply not servicing our mentally ill.
Called “Just the Facts, Ma’am; The Numbers Don’t Lie: Not Servicing the Mentally Ill” it’s at http://wp.me/p22afJ-1hk, or http://candidaabrahamson.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/just-the-facts-maam-the-numbers-dont-lie-not-servicing-the-mentally-ill/
Thanks again for passing along such a wonderful–and important–idea!
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I just had to post a comment after reading your blog. I am so depressed and down right now, but can’t tell anyone as people tend to pull away because they don’t know what to do to help. They feel so helpless. So I grin and try to deal with it.
Many are so encouraging. It’s just that a cancer diagnosis is what it is. I just say to you and everyone ‘keep up the fight’. Being alive and sharing with others makes it all worth i!.
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Gail, I am so sorry to you feel down right now and i understand the pressure to grin and deal with it, but please do know that there is a whole community of us here who understand and who are happy to listen to you anytime you want to express yourself. Marie x
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What a wonderful post–thank you! Mental health is very dear to my heart because I was a mental health worker in a former life and gained the greatest respect for people with mental illnesses. It’s one of the last bastions of stigma. Thank you for blogging about something so important and bringing your usual compassion and experience.
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Thank you Jackie x
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Hi. I am a bit late with this. Have you ever seen the ad on tv and the young man has his friends around and they are laughing and having great criac. But when the freinds leave he pulls his mask off and its the same face but a depressed young man. Its so true to have built a wall around your self and a permantent mask on for certain people, actually 99% of people and situations you face daily. Why do people think that the medication fixes everything! once the hospital appointments are over think that all is over and all is good and you should be normal again! good on you for this blog.
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Oh yes, I had forgotten about that ad Mona and it’s really a great way to describe what life is like when you are trying to appear normal and get on with things, but really inside you are struggling. Thanks for the reminder and for taking the time to leave your comment.
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Every woman has her own individuality. A major part of this individuality comes from personality. Personality comes from a combination of self confidence, the clothes you wear, and of course, the physique you have. For a woman, this image gets shattered when she learns that she has breast cancer. While the word ‘cancer’ can scare many, you would be slightly relieved to know that breast cancer is one of the least dangerous forms of cancers. Though I do not, and will never claim to be an expert, this website is a small attempt to explore and enlighten everyone on the topic that concerns most women today, which is Breast Cancer.
http://breastcancerguide.weebly.com/
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Thank you Medha for taking the time to leave this wonderful comment.
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if someone have any mental disorder, even if it is something simple, he won’t talk about it because usually people don’t discus their mental health situation, especially women, I hope you add more info about mental health and its problems, especially the early treatment.
Thanks in advance 😉
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Thankyou so much for taking part in the mental health blog party xx
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