Following the birth of my first baby and shortly after learning of his Haemophilia diagnosis when he was only nine months old, I had a bit of a mental breakdown. To say the least.
Looking back, while it was difficult and painful at the time, I’m grateful for the journey I went through to recover. From seeing multiple psychiatrists to finding a truly wonderful therapist, to somehow landing in a mental hospital due to valium withdrawals – I’m thankful for the experience. It taught me a lot and gave me a whole different perspective.
Firstly, it taught me that mental people are everywhere, in fact, we’re all vulnerable to mental and emotional issues to varying degrees. Obvs, some are much better at hiding it.
Secondly, my two week stint in a mental hospital showed me that self-care and self-compassion is vitally important to healing. At the time, I felt ashamed and embarrased but now, I often think, “Well, shit. It’s just what I needed at the time and hey, that’s a pretty profound story to tell too. And maybe I can go back for a holiday away from my children?” 🤷🏻♀️
Thanks to TV, movies and pop-culture, we think that people who land in mental hospitals are deranged. Well, it ain’t true. I been there and the people I saw were not lunatics, they were just in a low point of their life.
The final point I want to make is this: IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANY OF US. Just like diseases and disorders can hit us like a tonne of bricks, so can a mental breakdown. Something as simple as the death of a loved one, separation or divorce, the weight of financial debt, compounding work stress – anything, really, can take us there.
So, before judging, first ask: to what extent do I know about this person and what they’re going through right now? The answer is, probably not a lot.
And before feeling bad about yourself because someone’s carefully curated life shows only smiles, rainbows and unicorns, ask yourself: what feelings of inadequecy does this person have if they feel the need to show off and brag so much?
Food for thought 🥰
#mentalhealth #depressionandanxiety #selfcare #selfcompassion #specialneeds #specialneedsmom #batshitcrazy #shitstorm #postnatalsupport #pnd #OCD
