I’ve followed with great interest the four-part series of articles on mental health which has just finished its run in the Gazette. Written by Doug Neuman and Scott Hayes, the series has placed before readers the very real issues and challenges of everyday living with any number of illnesses of the mind.
As most understand, mental illness is not a disease but any one of several and each is likely different than most non-suffers think. The causes cover a wide spectrum as well, from a hard hit on the head, to what you eat, to the extremes of inheritance, poor parenting, and physical abuse. In fact, there are so many root causes often only professionals (psychologists and psychotherapists) have the understanding of these illnesses to treat them successfully.
These two writers get it, have explored it, written it and found those of courage to stand up and pointedly state they suffer and explained how. Sometimes the best to be done is to accept their foibles and differences, to stand by them as they struggle in life and to, let me be clear – SHUT UP. No gossiping, no finger pointing. If you don’t understand maybe you can ask.
I know, 20-plus years ago, in my late 40s, I was finally diagnosed as a depressive bipolar individual. That is a clinical illness and that means no cure. A depressed bipolar individual, forever.
Thank you Doug and Scott – you’ve helped.
Andy Michaelson, St. Albert
