Empirical Letters

“There is nothing wrong with me, you are perfectly fine, as if I do not know. The laughter that bursts, the sounds that turn into words that pushes from my lungs as the vocal folds. On the other hand guess what has been said the differences of make up makes unsteady environments that won’t last. Yet its okay because life has obstacles that we will overcome, you know…..you and I. When we fall asleep we will awake to a new day hopefully your thoughts will stay away. “Oh”, its slumber today…… next day a sunshine. “-EL

The month of May is mental health awareness that bridges awareness to mental health as an ongoing effort to reduce mental illness. There may be confusion on the differences of mental health and mental illness as some individuals would view them one of the same. Mental illness differs by varying factors such as, diagnosis’s that have been determined by professionals e.g., Psychologists, Therapists, Doctors. These diagnosis can range from physical and mental disorders e.g., Cerebral Palsy, Anxiety, Schizophrenia, Deaf, Blindness. Furthermore, mental illness is not just the feeling of sadness or stress yet the functioning ability of the individual daily, over their lifetime. Both mental illness and mental health focuses on techniques that are also incorporated to maintain a balance. e.g., meditation, medication management, CBT.

More recently in the last 3 years there has been a shift of cultural acceptance of mental awareness that has created a expansion of initiatives. You can now have wellness brunches, yoga’s in the parks and mindfulness Mondays. Yet deep seeded in the experiences of crisis, I ponder should the month of May been called mental illness awareness instead? Remembering the lady in the ER screaming he is in me as she was being wheeled away, or the one man who stood in the middle of the road daring someone to even move him or that young pretty girl who repeats the same dialogue over, over again and that one man who would pass you to the devil himself if he was aware at the time of his existence. The many different layers to our mental state shows the complexities of our human existence. The progression of harm reduction tools, crisis interventions e.g., are now deployed into communities to combat the deaths that occur. More than just drug usage, short-term sadness, chronic illness the continue messages of pain, war, daily struggles truly effects us all as exemption can not be superseded.

I don’t know why I’m scared, are you scared? They say monsters aren’t real have you notice them too? Turning around in circles I hear you , wait what you did you say.? t’s okay, I’m going to laugh anyways. I’m angry today , not for long, okay tired yet I still might run. Wait what did you say?, Monsters are they real? Nevermind lets go play, I’m scared.