Tag: mental health

The Public View and Celebrity Suicide

The past few years have seen the number of celebrity suicides increase considerably. The deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain has been very heavily covered, some of it has been useful discussion some of it not so much.

The media has commented about both celebrities struggling with addiction, depression and various martial issues. Kate Spade’s death and some of the indications that she was possibly nearing divorce hit me pretty hard. Divorce and depression is a combination I would not wish upon anyone. It can break you from the inside out, affecting you mentally, physically and financially. Regardless of social standing, economic standing the impact of depression and the stresses of divorce are brutal for anyone. No matter how well off someone seems the loss is intense and it doesn’t simply go away with the wave of a hand. In many ways the finalization of divorce is really just the start to the battle.

On one level, media coverage is helpful in the sense that public awareness is raised. On the other, I’ve found that some of the salacious headlines and click bait paint a terrible picture of the public’s seeming need to know the ‘why’ of suicides. There’s always questions, even in the case of Kate Spade in which she left a note. In both cases the press has often discussed the family left behind the ex-wives, the daughters, the girlfriends.

As someone living with dysthymia and a target-shooter, I’ve had to stay on top of any feelings of major depression or suicidal ideation. For me at least, the effort is like forever being on guard duty. You are required to be vigilant at all times and know how to respond when the warning signs flare up. That’s certainly easier said than done. Feeling next to nothing, being emotionally flat all the time is rough at the best of times and I can understand how for some it feels like an endless slog. I’m not saying I have answers for anyone in that regard, we all have to find out own path when dealing with  mental health but try to be mindful of your mental state. If you start to have thoughts of taking your own life, take that step back, contact a hotline, close friends anyone to act as a sound board.

Suicide Prevention:  https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
Tell Free:  1-800-273-8255

 

World Health Day — Tasks I’m Using To Address My Mental Health

One of the bloggers I follow (Sonyo Estavillo, https://lilpickmeup.com/)happened to note that today is World Health Day. While most of the news about it centers around physical health and access to health services, I thought I’d throw out some aspects of mental health and in particular the activities I use to help manage my dysthymia.

A throwback to some of the earliest posts from my own blog, I continue to use both digital and traditional adult coloring books as a mental reset. In particular Pigment by Pixite (http://pixiteapps.com/pigment/).[All Pigment images copyright to their respective artists]

Be it a watercolor styled sketch or something cartooney like a grumpy bear.

Pigment provides me an outlet that goes way outside of my normal activities. I’m an IT person by trade so I’m around blunt, fairly bland data all day. A bit of artistic expression is very much the opposite of my day and it certainly helps to slow myself down when things get hectic.

Despite having terrible handwriting, I still find that I enjoy the practice of writing in a journal. Sometimes it’s just ranting about the things that frustrate me, or reminding myself of my goals and the things I need to focus on, there’s something to be said for putting pen to paper and just getting the thoughts out of your head and onto print.

The last of my activities is not something I recommend for everybody, particularly if your depression or anxiety is severe.  I am a target shooter and hunter. For me getting to a gun range and being able to focus on nothing but myself and the target is one of the few things I can do today where I can sink my teeth into. For a few brief hours everything else that bothers me is put aside and I am not floating about in my own thoughts but I am there in the moment. The focus on safety, awareness and precision for me is a calming thing. Obviously this particularly coping tool suites me but it would not apply to everyone.

The important thing I want folks to take away or think about today is what are the things you can do to help your current state, even if it’s just releasing a bit of the stress. If you haven’t tried something artistic, or journaling, seek out something that can hold your interest in a productive way and find a way to balance it in your total health picture.

Valentine’s Day – My Least Favorite Day as a Divorcé

Not going to sugar coat this one, Valentine’s as a divorced guy is not my favorite time of year. Add to that my allergy to chocolate and well Feb 15th isn’t exactly something to look forward to either.

I think for a lot of folks there’s a difficulty in understanding what those suffering from anxiety and depression go through during holidays meant to celebrate togetherness. One thing keeps popping back up into my mind which is that love is something that you need to have for yourself in order to be able to share it. It sounds horribly cliche but I understand the concept. I’m not there to be honest and that’s tempered how I view relationships and the future quite a bit. Still, I look at Valentine’s as a time to look at who I am, where I’ve come and where I still need to improve and try to be happy with the me that I see in the mirror.

Happened upon this little ‘tips’ post from Anxiety.org which might be an interesting read for some.
https://www.anxiety.org/relationship-guide-getting-through-valentines-day

If you’re having a hard time this Valentine’s, coming off a break up, there’s also this very pointed vlog from Anna Akana about dealing with breakups. Despite my divorce being nearly two years old now, I still found her post to be a good remind of the things you need to do to process things.

No matter what situation you are in relationship wise, if you’re dealing with any form of mental illness and find this particular holiday season difficult, reach out, get in touch with people in your support network or even other mental health communities. Take that step to communicate about what you’re dealing. Stay safe folks.