The original saying is what you don’t know can’t or won’t kill you right? (well something along those lines) but that doesn’t always apply to everything and I personally think that the unknown is what leads to confusion and uncertainty, especially when dealing with mental health as it makes it almost impossible to find the right solution if you don’t know what your looking for or trying to solve.

Are you still with me?

Think about it this way, how many suicide stories have we heard and and during the investigations no one seemed to know or understand the extent to that persons mental health, or what they were going through that lead them to the point of no return. No one knew what they were suffering from or the fact they were suffering in the first place. Now imagine if they themselves had know or their loved ones were aware and tried to get them to seek help, understanding their struggles and triggers to get them the right solution. Imagine if everyone knew what to look for and was more self-aware and conscious of our relationships with others that carry the weight of a mental disorder. We would be able to save a soul and help save a life.

That was just a brief example, I’m aware that everyones situations are different and even when encouraged to seek help things don’t always work out, perhaps I’m an optimist because I believe people can change and can be saved but I’m a realist in the sense that it’s only if they want to and that’s the reality of it. It’s your choice to continue to live, but it’s our responsibility as humans to show others why that choice is important.

Why would you even think about turning a bind eye to the real issues in this world that a majority of the population are now facing, just because you can’t see the physical damage? Because it’s non of your business right? Well my friend, please let’s not think that way and have more sufferers get to the point of no return, as ultimately that’s what could happen.

So let’s stop all this ‘what you don’t know can’t kill you’ business and actually start making it a priority to be more informed rather than second guessing mental issues because everything starts and ends with the mind.

Romans 12:2, if our Lord God is calling us to be transformed by the renewal of our mind it’s because he knows our mind can be used as a destructive weapon against us, so let’s be mindful not mindless. After all, knowledge is power and we should use it for good works, so your knowledge or lack of it is your own responsibility.

Recognising Mental Health Symptoms

Symptoms are the first things that help us connect the dots and get our alarm senses going, realising that somethings not right here, however I must stay that you should take it easy with doing too much research and turning into a ‘google doctor’ as my good friend Jayda would say. To be honest, we’ve both fallen short of this, then ended up connecting far too many dots and landing at the wrong destination conceived that we’re dying or there’s no hope. So let’s relax, take what we see with a pinch of salt and learn to COMMUNICATE what’s going on to a professional or trusted friend/family member (key work communicate) and never take it upon yourself to do all the work.

When you begin to recognise the symptoms you realise that some interlink and crossover with other conditions, but what should always be made very clear is that you or the individual can be cured from these mental torments and ideologies that prevent you from living life to the full. It was a natural or nurtured state that got you there in the first place, so I highly believe in the natural way out; therapy, support groups and herbal non-hallucinative mediation (Yes that means no weed.)

I’m speaking from experience here, and it was only when I started getting better I began to realise what was really going on, but I was in denial and wanted to believe I was fine as I feared being seen or treated differently and I wasn’t really one for sympathy and couldn’t the look of worry on other peoples faces, it just made me uneasy.I wanted to remain being seen as strong, and thought having any sort of mental illness was deemed weak. So I ignored myself and my health, that way I thought no one could draw attention to it.

Stop right there. That was wrong of me and it’ll be wrong of you to do the same. Put your health first always! you’re much stronger for it, because real weakness is not having the issue in the first place, but it’s ignoring the it and failing to face your fears.

What To Do

Stay Calm, Keep Connected, Speak Up

I’ve begun to see mental health as another form of spiritual warfare and something that everyone can over come once they have the will and desire to make changes to their life with dedication and persistence.

You have to stay and remain calm when dealing with such illness and never forget that kindness is the greatest power of all, loving your neighbour as you would love yourself.

If you’re suffering from mental health issues, it’s good to know how far along the spectrum you are and how close you are or have been to that point of no return mentally.

It would be beneficial for you to seek two kinds of help, firstly whether you believe in God or not you need to understand the concept of his existence that there is something greater than EVERYTHING and ALL-THINGS in this world, there is a creator who cares loves and wants you to be free from all mental strain, you are not being punished and he is not punishing you but he is calling you to deliverance and salvation, to fight this fight and overcome the pain, struggles and bounds holding you back from being the true you he intended you to be.

He is patient and will wait as long as it takes, but he needs you to say ‘yes’ I want to get better, ‘yes I am broken’, ‘Yes I am confused and need help’ only when we accept our situation can we better it. Stop hiding.

Secondly, our lord has provided us with all the resources in this world to live a full life and be free. Therapy is a great way to start your journey in transforming your mind, conditioning yourself to see others as helpers and supporters that can assist in taking the load off. Talk about it, your not alone, there’s others suffering too.

Stay connected and don’t completely isolate yourself from everyone but minimise the relationships and environments that are causing you stress, don’t try take the world on all in one go.

Get creative, you don’t need to be amazing at any type creative arts, but do something for yourself that releases your emotions in a creative way, write about your pain or the voices you hear, right about all the things you want to do, paint how you’re feeling if you’re not good with words or dance, create music and just have something special for yourself where you can be the broken you breaking through the dramas in your head. Keep active and don’t give up.

Take a deep breath, take a break and start again.

Support References And Links

Below are some great links I’ve used to help create the symptoms file presented on this post. There’s lots of material out there if you don’t feel comfortable speaking to friends or family yet; check out the options below. (If you know of any-others and want to help, please get in touch so I can update and share also)

https://www.mentalhelp.net/

https://www.rethink.org/diagnosis-treatment/treatment-and-support

https://www.mind.org.uk/

Young Minds

Hope Link Uk

Soul Food (Supportive Prayer Group)

Mental Health Symptoms Presentation Download

Scriptures For Overcoming Mental Health Download