I Think the Ignorance About Mental Health Issues Must End

[b][u]Mind, Body, Soul[/u][/b]

It's good that people are now talking about Mental Health and the more we talk about it, the more awareness there is, the more people can learn and to reach understanding. Mind, body, soul. The three things that will keep you whole.

Now people could have a scientific debate and discuss whether the soul exists or not, but the only way I can describe soul is perhaps that maybe it is life itself. When someone kills someone, certain people will say, "That person took away his soul". For me that's "That person took away his life".

And then when you think of soul music or any music that is upbeat, some people would go, "That's got soul!" It's got zip, it's got pop, it's got energy and flow. It's lively. The song is alive! Which reminds me of the line out of the Sister Act Stage Musical by a character called Monsignor "The music has got soul. It makes me whole."

It's connected to feeling and feeling is the keyword when it comes to soul. It's how we feel about everyday life, it's how we feel about how we feel. And we should be able to express how we feel, not just through poetry, not just through art but in everyday conversation. The times where I got told to shut up because other people didn't want to listen. Or was it that simple? Is it really that straight cut? I don't think so! They were dealing with problems themselves, could have been problems in everyday life and it was doing their head in and that particular person took it out on me. I got the impression that person didn't care and I resented that person. It was an example of who NOT to become and perhaps to a certain degree I was right, but... at the crux of it, that person couldn't help how they were feeling. It was bottled up and when it's bottled up there is stress and frustration and then anger would only make a person tightly wound, especially in the chest and that's not good for the heart at all.

We must express how we feel and whilst we need to have self-control, think, and not to react every single time, to maybe a negative action. But at the same time we should talk about how we feel because it is the healthy thing to do and when people do not talk about it, they're carrying a load, baggage, weighty stuff, a burden, a cross to bear?

But how about that cross gets dumped, unload the baggage, bit by bit until you feel light again and then just carry a torch, that shining light, a beacon of hope. That you can pass on, brightening and enlightening other people.

Whilst things have improved in mental health, there can BE certainly more improvement. There is less stigma now I feel but we're still in the transition phase of this social change. And it IS about setting an example for the next generation. But then I feel the older generation can learn from us more than we can learn from them. But the question is, will they step up to this change? Or will they have the, "can't teach an old dog new tricks mentality"? And whilst there is this all of this at play, the fact is that while you are still living and breathing, it is never to early nor is it too late. So let's all step up to the plate, and lead by example and take action on our mental health and being honest with how we're feeling.

When we look after our mental health, when we look after our heads, we may prevent becoming mentally ill.

#WorldMentalHealthAwareness