To be honest, I was going to ignore this day, as I thought that enough would be said on social media about this subject today. But, I was reminded of my own plight by someone and that made me reconsider.
So before I poetically 'wax lyrical'here's some terrible facts about mental health.
The biggest disability in the UK, and world, is mental health and it's invisible.
1 in 4 of us will suffer some type of mental health issue in our life.
Mental disorders if not dealt with early usually lead to some other physical illness. These range can from self harming to suicide.
Stigma is the biggest barrier in people asking for help. Particularly men.
I could go on, but I've no doubt that today you will hear and read a lot of facts, but, remember this fact. Behind these statistics are people, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers.....real people and, only for the grace of God, hopefully not you. We can all 'fall' but who will be there to pick us up?
My story.............well....that's my own and I won't bore you with it, I'll just say this, it can happen to anyone and remember a smile and a joke can mask a thousand tears.
MESSAGE TO MY BLACK DOG
Black, Blacker, Blackish, Blacked
I hate your weight your
Metal hat
You push me down
On to my knees
My iconoclastic surreal disease
You stop me being
You make me hurt
The scars run deep
I am the dirt.
I live a lie
Reconstructed truth
You eat my age
Consume my youth
You change reality
I am a clown of blood soaked
Banality
A player with an empty frown
One real truth
I will let you down