Was having a convo w a team member the other day, & she was asking abt the whole “#5in5” concept, & why we needed to normalize that everyone in the world faces MH challenges- whether to the level of disorder or not.
She started asking: but isn’t it great that we have these specialty “groups”- the anxiety group, the depression group, the OCD group, where ppl can go get help & support & healing & find ppl w similar diagnoses? She likened it to a school, & asked: isn’t it good we can all study specific subjects in specialized classes, that are of interest/apply to us?
I thought abt her analogy, & here’s what came to mind: yes specialized & individualized “classes” in a “school” can be great for drilling down to specifics. But, the problem w MH right now is, as a society, it looks like there are “classes” in diff buildings spread throughout the town/city, disconnected, not in one “school.” We don’t even have the concept of a “school” en masse.
Even if they’re not ready for specialized courses in real school, at least everyone knows: they’re at school, & that’s a place of learning. That’s not how it is w MH. Instead we’ve drilled down to specifics before the general understanding’s been laid down. How many are gonna go to “school” if they don’t know a school exists, or why they even need to learn?
And so on a larger scale, I thought abt this scenario on this pic/post. It’s universally accepted that if you’re having a heart attack- your life’s at risk…w your PHYSICAL health causing it from a cardiovascular system malfunction…so as you feel that “pain” you instinctively reach out for help. After all, who doesn’t have physical health?
Conversely: It’s NOT universally accepted that if you’re having major suicidal ideations, & your life’s at risk, w your MENTAL health causing it from CNS malfunction, that in that pain, you’d instinctively reach out for help. You feel alone.
Suicide can happen to anyone – regardless of whether we have a disorder label or not, & if we do, regardless of what the label is. We have to normalize that MH’s for EVERYONE. We have to build the “school.” We gotta stop ONLY having separate classes.
