What's on your mind this Christmas?
A semicolon tattoo is a tattoo of the semicolon punctuation mark (;) used as a message of affirmation and solidarity against suicide, depression, addiction, and other mental health issues.
A friend’s teenager daughter committed suicide last month.
My daughter’s friend has anxiety.
Another friend’s mom has dealt with opium withdrawal and tried to commit suicide.
Idols of mine have given up on life.
And I deal with depression and am a proud member of the Brain Wave--Mental Health Colorado’s statewide network of advocates.
That means almost all of us know or love someone affected by mental illness or have dealt with it ourselves. Yet people still shy away from talking about it.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of talking to Vincent Atchity, President and CEO of Mental Health Colorado, and we discussed ways to make talking about mental health as important as any other health issue. We talked about the stigma that still exists and how some people define a mental illness as a “choice.” Or the fact that substance abuse faces an enormous amount of resistance because people who are not affected by it don’t see it as a “health thing.” What has to be understood is that mental health is the most important health of all, and none of us has it steadily controlled; everybody is vulnerable and for so many reasons.
We still have a long way to go to improve the mental wellness of the whole world. Suicide rates continue to rise, quality, affordable mental health and substance abuse care is still not accessible to everyone, and many of us continue to feel shame for our mental health or substance abuse conditions.
My best advice? Talking can save lives. If mental health issues are not affecting you, then be of service. Listen without judgement, hug without constraint, help without expectations. The holidays can be a really tough time for many of us, so please, help anyone with a mental illness feel seen and embraced. Also, take care of your own mental health.
I hope you, your family and friends have a lovely holiday season filled with joy and meaning.