Mental health awareness is a constant, just like the illness

Read Time:5 Minute, 53 Second

By Rachael Senior

So, May is mental health awareness month. What I’ve decided to discuss today is about consideration and awareness all year round, not just on the designated awareness month.

What I mean…

I would like to share an experience I had this week which will shed some light on what I mean.

I have been trying really hard to update and maintain my business. That’s selling items that I love. It started as a hobby and seeing a gap in the market locally. It is hard work to do that alongside a full-time job. My end goal is to one day be able to do my business as my full-time job.

It is hard to keep up with the competition. Larger companies often sell items for cheaper, or just as cheap, as the price I pay cost for. But I try to find different ways to keep my costs down as much as possible and to keep my online presence up.

Last week I shared some products on a Facebook Group and came under fire for being overpriced. It wasn’t constructive criticism, it was mocking and ridicule. One person even commented they weren’t going to comment any more for fear of being told they were ‘price bashing.’ So they were fully aware of what they were saying.

Publicly belittled

I didn’t respond, I just ignored it and took a mental note of their names and group. And decided I wasn’t going to post in that particular group any more.

It did leave me however somewhat deflated. I am obviously just a small company trying to expand my products and variety and gauge suggestions and recommendations etc. And they publicly belittled my efforts and attempts.

They made me feel that I shouldn’t bother, as I can’t match or undercut a lot of big companies, so what is the point?

I know the internet is full of trolls, and I can’t please everyone. It’s not about that. I have received constructive feedback and criticism and worked as much as I can on it and that was fine.

After a night’s sleep I felt a bit better in the morning though, but the feelings still resonated a little.

And next…

Fast forward a few days to today. I saw (and shared) the Wil Wheaton blog about him discussing his chronic depression and anxiety. I saw it posted on a similar (but different) group. And I was reading the comments, when I came across the person who had to refrain from commenting anymore on my business post for fear of price bashing.

Their comment was a ‘Most of you know me and know my history so I won’t go into it again but my inbox is always open for a chat for anyone’ type post.

This made me quite angry. How dare this person belittle someone trying so hard in life, to then appear to be all kind and caring when it’s ‘fashionable.’

Why not be caring all the time?

If you are a caring, compassionate person who understands mental health issues, if you can sympathise and empathise with others when they are in need, why would you not have that mindset 24/7/365. How is that not second nature ?

It made me not want to talk to that person, as I have seen how they can be and how they react to other people on a different subject.

Awareness months, weeks and days are great for getting people talking about the subject matter. But they’re are also good at getting the bandwagon jumpers out of the woodwork.

Thank you for sharing that meme which says I can call on you at 2 am if I’m upset, depressed or anxious. But if the reason I am awake at 2 am crying, having a panic attack or just staring miserably in to the darkness is because the business I am trying to grow to better myself and build a future for myself is being publicly humiliated by you, then excuse me for not believing your heartfelt meme share.

1in4 UK Book Store:

Iam 1in4 Mental Health Daily Tracker and Journal

£9.75 GBP

[amazon_link asins='1977009336' template='ProductGrid' store='iam1in4-20' marketplace='US' link_id='ffcb5f04-1297-11e8-8b2c-c721ea9703cc']

How stigma changes

Creating awareness is not just about the illness. It is about being aware of yourself, your actions and words, and THAT is how stigma changes. THAT is how you can help someone even when you don’t quite know how.

If you make a post or a comment on the internet you need to be prepared for backlash. Just as I do when I share my products on groups or share my thoughts on my blogs. But, if you don’t want things to be misinterpreted and you want to be taken seriously, you need to make sure you are reassuring that in your written word.

There are companies and organisations out there, I know, who host events and awareness days. They are seen to be great advocates in spreading awareness – and in making sure people know that. But when an issue is brought up as a serious grievance, they turn a blind eye. They put up the red tape and make you walk over hot coals to get any kind of assistance.

These companies and organisations are also big bandwagon jumpers, because it is popular and fashionable to be seen as supportive by creating awareness within these specific dates. But the hard work comes after that.

Educate yourselves if you want to help us

As I mentioned before, you can help those of us with mental illnesses by educating yourself. By looking at yourself and just thinking about what you say. Because you could say a simple off-the-cuff remark to someone when they are having their worst day. And it could be enough to maybe make it their last day.

So please, if you want to create awareness for mental illnesses, please think about your actions. Please know that those issues that we have mean we often overthink situations. We remember a lot of things that were said because we took them to heart.

Awareness is a constant which needs to be analysed and adjusted to make the end result better. It is hard to try to think about everything you say and write and how you want it to be right. And it’s tiring, it is constant thoughts and being alert.

Even when you try your best you will have days where the wrong thing is said, to the wrong person or at the wrong time. You will just say what you feel because you’re tired of trying to please others. But remember that is exactly how it is for those of us with mental illnesses.

Awareness is a constant, just like the illness.

If you would like to get an email every time I post a blog, just click the link at the bottom and follow my site.