Mental Health
As I sit here on another world mental health day, I am reminded of how far I have come. Approaching 29 years of my transplant, it’s been quite a journey. Kind of like my own on the job training if you like. Having a better understanding of mental health, how we can hide behind a mask. Working out why it all happened and where it came from, was key for me. When I look back, I think of when a 10 min GP apt, given a prescription for mental health medication within 5 minutes. I just remember questioning why at the time. Just to be clear, I have the upmost respect for GP’s and for consultants. More about how will this solve the problem of why? I did not see mental health as I see chronic kidney disease for example. There is no cure for CKD, it was more about where does mental health come from and why? How do I solve the problem and understand mental health more?
Solving the Puzzle
How would medication help me to understand why I kept feeling like I did? I am sure the medication works for some and respect we are all different. But I wanted to understand why, more than rely on medication. Wanting to solve this puzzle and understand more about mental health. I didn’t realise it at the time, but I was doing what I had previously done as a kidney patient. Learning whatever I could as a patient, to help me post-transplant. Soaking up as much information as I could, so I could help myself. I applied that same technique with mental health, in terms of trying to help myself. Where did mental health come from, where did it start? For me, it was childhood and the start of a journey of why me?
That why me, continued throughout my life. Dragging me down without even knowing it, as I got on with it, which was programmed into me. Part of my generation, where mental health was not even mentioned, crying was seen as turning on the waterworks. I just worse a mask, pretending everything was ok and I was good at it. What I also noticed, was this trend of trying to stick you in a pigeonhole. For me I was just hurting and departmentalising it, I didn’t need a label. I was already proud to be creative and different. Its what makes us unique as individuals, no two people are the same. I understand why now and where it came from, that was the key that unlocked the door.
Labels
It feels like labels are everywhere now, based on behavoir. For me that is a dangeorous path and reminds of terms I grew up with and where they came from. Terms like ‘mental’ ‘insane’ or ‘lunatic’ which date back to the workhouses and so called lunatic asylums. Being labelled as abnormal was not only wrong, but also just plain ignorant. Labels are for products, not for people or behavoir, in my view. Have we forgotten that each and everyone of us is different? Labels could make mental health worse, as people hide behind them. Everyone is different, some more than others, more creative and so on. Performers, creatives, inventors and so on are a perfect example of that, no two are the same. That does not mean they have abnormalities, it’s means they have strength in other areas. We all see things differently and that is a good thing, bringing our ideas to life or to the table. I’m just different and I love that.
Lived Experience
Whilst it is about whatever works for the individual around mental health. We should not be afraid to question why lived experience patients are not employed more widely. Its as if patients and those with lived experience, are seen as a threat. Kept at arms length, just used for a survey or a bit of PR. I believe one day when I am a pensioner and possibly not here anymore. Patients and those with lived experience, will be employed as part of multi-disciplinary teams with regards to mental health. Because as I know through my own experience that goes back over 45 years. It is that lived experience and talking to those with that shared commonality, that can so often show you the way. As I wrap this up, take a listen to my new track the mental health roller coaster. The song is about the up and downs of mental health. Keep well – Stuart