Letter of the Day | Make mental health a national priority

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I am making a call as a mental health patient and advocate for us as a country to make mental health a national priority. I want to join with all our mental health practitioners and people of goodwill to extend words of encouragement and support to the community of the mentally ill of which I am a part.

A diagnosis of mental illness is normally a very difficult and emotionally challenging experience not only for the person afflicted with the ailment, but also for family members and loved ones. In many cases, an acceptance of the diagnosis can become a difficult task, that often results in years of denial, to the detriment of those affected and impacted by the ailment.

It is common to feel lonely, afraid and ashamed at given times along our mental illness journey. However, it is not necessary or realistic to go through it all by ourselves. I always tell my colleagues within the community of the mentally ill to reach out for help whenever we feel overburdened and broken in spirit. We should join support groups online and in the physical space. We should build friendships with people who will encourage and support us. We should educate ourselves about mental illness. The more we know, the better we are able to cope with and respond to the challenges associated with the ailment.

We should learn about tried and proven relaxation techniques. There is no shame in sickness, and mental illness is just another disease which is treatable. We should tell ourselves that we are not alone and, despite our mental health challenges, with medication and social support we can lead a normal life. If I can do it, anybody can do it by applying wisdom, courage, patience, humility and God’s grace!

As mental health patients, whatever we choose as our source of strength or coping mechanism, we MUST ensure that we stay compliant with our medication and we have a few people we can call family and friends. We should endear ourselves to our family and make a few friends before we need one. We are social beings and social support is just as important as our medication. In fact, social support is therapy, so it is a form of medication for us as mental health patients.

So, as we seek to raise awareness and make mental health a national priority, let us commit ourselves as mentally ill people to take charge of our health challenges and take control of our lives by supporting each other. Let us be proud of who we are . Never allow anyone to make us feel less of a human being. Let us face life with wisdom, love, courage, humility, patience, confidence and resolve. The word is always love.

ANDRE’ WELLINGTON

Mental Health Patient and Advocate