A lot is going on in our communities and society at large. Mental illness is running rampant with no discriminant of people be it male, female, Black, White, or any ethnicity. Just here recently in the news two very wealthy individuals Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain committed suicide leaving behind the pieces for their families to pick up and shock from their fans. Now that this has happen to some high profile individuals, the narrative of mental health is beginning to be discuss a little more and talked about on social media. In the bigger scheme of things it is good that people are talking about mental illness but the million dollar question is what course of action are you going to take to help someone who may be suffering from mental illness?
On a more personal level, I'm sure someone reading this blog, know a family member, friend, colleague or someone who deals with or is affected by mental illness. In the African-American community people don't like talking about it or addressing it properly because of the perceive stigma that comes along with it. In so many cases people will say just pray about it or I'm praying for you and someone could really be in need of professional help. Now don't get me wrong my GOD is more than capable of all things, but he also allows us understanding of wise counsel, so instead of just praying for that individual suggest or seek some professional help for them. Many people are having mental breakdowns, committing heinous acts, because of the intense battle with mental illness and their story will not be publicize on the entertainment news but they are important in the lives of those who love them.
A few common mental illness disorders that are affecting people that are around you everyday are; Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety & Panic, Schizophrenia just to name a few. If you know a love one, friend, or colleague battling any one of these or some other mental illness disorder, be there for them and if they are not getting help for it, encourage them to. This battle of the mind is Chess not checkers and must be approached strategically in order to be effective in helping someone.
The bible says in Ephesians 4:23, "An be renewed in the spirit of your mind".
Poetic Thought:
You see Pepsi but to some it taste like Coke,
The voiceless try to speak, but they choke,
Emotions and decisions are in constant conflict,
Prescriptions become a convenient fix,
Peace is what you stand in line for and wait,
Cast your cares on the Creator and seek help to heal your mental state. ~ JD
Sometimes when I am out and about in the city running my errands or heading to my destination, I see people on the street corner and a lot of times some of them are talking to themselves acting erratic. I assume many people passing by in their vehicles or walking into the stores think those people are crazy and probably on drugs. In some cases they might be, but I'm sure there are some of those people who are suffering from a mental illness and it landed them on the streets. Have compassion and thank the Lord above for your blessings and having a sound mind. Until next time, class dismiss!!!
