ORGANiZED FOOLiSHNESS

I don't need to "pray about it", I need therapy

   I need therapy.

I came across this article last year and it spoke to my soul. *The link is above the picture* Prayer does not fix everything. Yea I said it....it does not fix everything. Mental illness is real! People are fighting unseen battles every day and need more than prayer. If someone comes to you and tell you they have thought about hurting themselves please encourage them to seek professional help and you pray for them. Unless you have some form of training or a degree to help with the mentally ill, please keep your advice to yourself and help them get the help they need. Do not tell them, "It’s all in your head. God doesn’t give you more than you can handle.” 

We need to be encouraging our friends and family to get the help they need. Uncle Raymond been scratching a hole in his scalp with his finger since he was 10 when he gets agitated and you think that's cool? Nah son that ain't right. We all have grown up around someone that was described as off in the head. That description just meant to let them be and to be on the look out for strange behavior. No explanation of their condition or ways to help them or communicate with them, just isolate them and let them be. SMH. We just go on with life and let our loved ones suffer because they are "different". No solutions sought, no help provided. Getting them help may have changed their quality of life. Maybe not but doing nothing shole did not do a thing.

What about those issues we do not see though? What about those of us that suffer in silence? So many of us do not want to bother anyone that we will be dying on the inside yet smiling and saying, "I'm OK." Well dammit we need to stop that shit. No I am not ok, I am coping but I am not ok all the time. Every one should be allowed to say exactly how they feel without judgement.  A lot of people do not have that. They are left to deal with those thoughts alone. They are left to let those feelings well up and cause depression. Depression is more common than you think. The World Health Organization estimates that depression will be the 2nd highest medical cause of disability by the year 2030, 2nd only to HIV/AIDS. That's in 13 years people...

Depression can not be pinpointed to one particular thing and is a complex disease. Being diagnosed with a serious illness can cause depression. Losing a loved one, major life changes, abuse, certain medications,  and conflict can also bring on depression. Some just have a chemical imbalance that cause the illness. Depression is described as feeling overwhelmed with sadness and loneliness for no known reason. One in four adults will deal with depression at some point in their life and women are twice than likely to go through it than men. Again its ok not to be ok and is more common than you think. Not saying because you are having a moment of sadness that you are depressed but here is a list of symptoms that need to alert you to seek professional help:

• Appetite changes, or weight gain or loss
• Trouble going to sleep or staying asleep, or sleeping too much Fatigue or lack of energy
• Feeling restless, irritable, or withdrawn
• Feeling worthless, hopeless, discouraged, or guilty
• Trouble concentrating, remembering things, doing daily tasks, or making decisions
• Thoughts about hurting or killing yourself

Nothing wrong with needing help!

Contact your physician, your EAP at your job, your Passa if he knows that it takes more than prayer to solve your problems, Tuscaloosa Mental Health Alliance (205)737-3642, and if you feel like you want to harm yourself dial 911 or contact the Suicide Hotline 1-800-273-8255.

Always remember your problems are just as important as anyone else's and deserves attention as well. Find you someone to talk to and that will help you cope and better your quality of life.