Mental Health

When I was 9 years old, I experienced my first panic attack, and at 27, my last. Decades later, I can say I have been through the gloom of depression, the tension of OCD, the turmoil of ADD/ADHD (not just in myself, but in others close to me as well). I have weathered countless storms and personal battles that have driven me to find a way to a deep and lasting peace that I believe is fully achievable by anyone who truly wants a way out of the hell.

The human soul in turmoil is the epitome of hell. I have a fireproof rope-ladder that can help pull other souls up out of the flames. But you must climb onto the ladder, to be rescued….

That’s where some people throw in the towel. They either won’t reach for the ladder, or they won’t step onto it, or they step back off it as they’re being lifted out of the pit. Being rescued isn’t for those who secretly enjoy being mentally unwell. There is attention to be garnered, if you’re mentally unstable. There is a lot of help that can be received from others (rides, handouts, assistance with all sorts of things in life), if being in the negative limelight provides you with a sense of importance and worth. Being a perpetual “victim” can have a lot of rewards. But peace isn’t one of them.

The answers I have found that have removed the ball-and-chain from around my ankles, I have fought for with every ounce of my being. Those answers have required the ongoing investment of my time, my energy (even when I felt I had nothing left to give), my money, and have many times required sacrificing time with my family and friends.

I love to share what I have learned, and I will freely share it within my coming blogs. If even one person grabs hold of that rescue ladder and stays with it all the way out of the abyss, up into the glorious realm where there is Peace of Mind, then my efforts will have been rewarded. I ask you only this: as you find strength and peace, turn and, in whatever way you can, offer the rescue ladder to others, too.

Peace, my friends. It’s all about mindset. It matters (deeply).

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Singer-Songwriter, Dan Hill

In a recent MacLeans Magazine article (October 14, 2010), Dan Hill (“Sometimes When We Touch”) shares openly about his and his family’s experiences under the care of Mental Health professionals.

Dan’s transparency and vulnerability, as he once again steps out from behind the curtain of privacy and self-protection, helps to further strip away the stigma that still surrounds the topic of Mental Illness. More people than we could ever know deal with some form of challenge in mental health and wellness.

I encourage you, if it is within your comfort zone, to take a small step out and share this article with someone you think may benefit from hearing about how real Dan is, in his article, Me and My Shrinks.

Here’s a wee excerpt:

“You’re in serious trouble,” Dr. Tony concluded when I finished my rambling narrative. His voice gaining volume with each pronouncement, he continued, “Your emotional development stopped once you hit puberty. You’re selfish, spoiled, and entitled. You think ….”

Read the article in MacLean’s Magazine… and also visit Dan Hill’s page on Facebook….

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