Confessions of a blogger… part 3

In confessions of a blogger… part 1 I thoroughly enjoyed the writers ability to be short and sweet. He had challenges, maybe even what some may call failures, did some work and continues to do the work to overcome those and other challenges…

Part 2 illustrates a longer description of a similar journey that isn’t all roses and unicorns…

Part 3 was intended to be my very own confession… however I came across yet another inspirational bit of writting from a google+ post that I want to include in this series…

Mike Shaw shared:

I May Have Lost The Battle

But I’m still around to fight the war!

I have not been online too much over the last few days but there is good reason for that. I’m currently sending this from my iPhone on a bed in a psychiatric hospital!

I have struggled with depression on and of for what seems like most of my life and I have fought to try and have some form of normality but at times I lose the fight, this being one of those times and I have to stand up and ask for help. I consider myself one of the more fortunate people
In that I have a family that both understands and supports me at times such as this. My wife more than anyone else, she puts up with a lot others simply could not. Erratic mood swings, depths of depression that send me so low it’s hard to get back up from and anger at my own shortcomings but she is still at my side and for that I am eternally grateful for the love she has for me.

But why come on here to tell some 400,000 people who have yet to meet me about this. Because it is no longer something I do or should feel ashamed of, because sometimes when we talk of mental health issues in what others deem as “normal” people then just maybe we can remove some of the stigma that is attached with it.

Everyone at some point in their lives will be affected by either mental health issues themselves or someone they know. We have to be open about something that’s a lot more widespread than we like to think of. By being open with you maybe you can take it on board the next time you can come across a “normal” person that seems to be going through something like this and just maybe you can have a little understanding toward them. It’s not easy living with this condition, it’s even harder to openly talk about it, harder still for people to simply understand it.

Should you know of someone that suffers then take the first steps and offer some help. If you suffer then take the first hard step and take that help.

I know some of you will be uncomfortable with this post, I accept that but I stand by it, hope to catch up with you all soon, don’t break anything while I’m away 😉

What first strikes you while reading Mike’s post?

(For me it was something like “Wow… now that’s vulnerability and authenticity… “)

Have you had someone you care about experience something similar?

Just what is “normal” these days?