This is what I have been trying to say for years… but on this video, Max Silverman says it so well and so much better than me! This is a very beneficial, educational, informative, necessary, crucial, inspirational, awesome and amazing video. One of the best I have seen and heard in a long time. Please watch and listen to this video…
For the 20 plus years that I have been severely ill with my bipolar disorder, have been hospitalized way too many times to count, received way more ECT treatments than I can count, nearly lost my life to suicide attempts requiring stays in the ICU, I NEVER got…
- one casserole
- one prepared meal
- cookies
- chocolates
- flowers
- “Get Well Soon” balloons
- rarely ANY phone calls
- rarely ANY visitors
- ANY “Get Well Soon” cards
- “I care” or “I love you”cards
- “Sorry to Hear You are Sick” cards
- “I am praying for you” cards
- a post-it not saying, “Hi” “Hello” “How are you?”
- offers to help with my children when they were young
- offers to help drive my child somewhere
- help around my house… (and I am a single mother)
- not a “how are you feeling today?”
- not a “how can I help you?”
- not a “do you need any help?”
- not a pat on the back
- not a shoulder to cry on
- no hugs
- no love and encouragement
- I actually received no support from my family or friends…
- I was on my own!
In my life and especially with my mother, she just could not talk about my bipolar disorder. She could not and would not talk about it when I was sick. Her way to deal with my severe bipolar disorder was not to deal with it at all.
She pretended my illness did not exist and that I did not exist… until I was well. My mother would only talk to me when she thought I was better, when I was well enough that she could pretend I did not have a severe mental illness. I suppose she just couldn’t handle it, so she didn’t handle it at all.
That of course did not help me in any way, and in fact made me feel even worse and increased the severity of my symptoms as I thought my own mother didn’t even care about me. I needed her love and support and I never received it. She could not be there for me. I was all alone.
No support and no casseroles for me…
This needs to change and it needs to change now. I am not just speaking selfishly about myself… I mean this needs to change for everyone dealing with similar situations, everyone anywhere and everywhere in the world.
Mental illness is a real disease.
It hurts. It is very painful… and it kills.
Please open the conversation about mental illness.
Start talking about it, listen, learn, show kindness, compassion, love and please just CARE.
Lend a hand, a shoulder, a listening ear or just be near…
That is how we can end the stigma, get more people to receive the treatment and care they need and deserve… and we can SAVE LIVES!
“May is Mental Health Awareness Month” and it is still May…
PLEASE WATCH AND LISTEN TO THIS VIDEO…
AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT AS MUCH AS I DID.
“Talking About Invisible Illness – Mental Illness” by Max Silverman
I HOPE YOU LIKED IT… AND IT HELPED YOU, INFORMED YOU, EDUCATED YOU, INCREASED YOUR AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING, INSPIRED YOU AND TOUCHED YOUR HEART IN ONE OR MANY WAYS…
I will be posting something important about mental illness every day throughout the month of May on my blog in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month.
Please keep visiting my blog My Loud Bipolar Whispers and look for statistics or other beneficial information related to mental illness to increase awareness, educate, reduce mental illness stigma and reduce suicides. It is crucial and imperative for all of us to get involved and save lives.
So, please visit my blog every day, but especially every day throughout the month of May.
Thank you. Hugs and blessings to all of you always and forever.
My Loud Whispers of Hope 