I have been off doing everyday, but important, life things like sorting out swimming, cricket and ballet for the kidlets, sorting out orders after Daintree Vanilla appeared on Landline, gardening, getting migraines...
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| Me with Jess Ainscough! |
I have also been continuing on with my positive affirmation and wellness journey. I attended the Bloom Women's Health & Wellness Expo in Cairns organised by my bestie; and I got to meet my hero Jessica Ainscough from The Wellness Warrior. I also met a new hero, Kim Morrison, author of Like Chocolate for Women. This book is amazing! She has spurned my self-care journey onwards and upwards and it feels lovely!
I have had a few down days, but nothing too dark, just feeling off and blah... I love waking up the next day though and realising I don't have to have another day like that... I can pull myself out of the funk because "I LOVE MYSELF AND I AM WORTH IT!" Yeah, that's right, I said it. I've put it out there! Not going back on that one!
Saying the positive stuff daily is getting easier as time goes on. I believe the things I am saying and I am truly open to receiving the things I desire and wish to manifest - absolutely happy to do so, bring it! Hear that universe??
So, what do I write about when I don't have any "poor me" content to focus on? This is what I have been pondering for the past week. What to write? Who will write? Everyone is busy right now, with either back to school, work, having a baby... what was that about life again????
However a conversation with my dad on Monday got me thinking again about stigma and the lack of knowledge or understanding about different types of mental illness.
So many people have a perception about a disorder or disease based on their own story. In the case of our family, several people have bipolar which seems to have been exacerbated by their drug use, or rather misuse.
On Monday my father believed that bipolar was self inflicted. He truly thought that you only got it as a side affect of drug abuse.
Well... (deep breath here) I calmly (I did try to remain calm as I was on the tail end of a migraine) pointed out the following:
- what if said people in our family already had bipolar and the drugs just brought it out and made it worse?
People often turn to drugs because of mental illness for self medication. Mental illness then becomes part of their recovery story, but history usually shows symptoms of the illness prior to their addiction.
- how does that explain the girl I know with bipolar who hasn't done drugs? What did she do to give herself bipolar? 'Cos you know, it's something a SAHM with two kids totally wants to add to her repertoire!
I urged my dad to go back to the books (internet) and do his research before making such scary and incorrect statements. I love you dad but it is comments like this that fuel the stigma of mental illness. People's lack of knowledge, either through ignorance or an unwillingness to learn, is what keeps us all in the dark about mental illness.
It perpetuates the idea that we have control over the disease or disorder.
So, I can choose to NOT be suicidal?
I can choose to NOT be manic, take stupid risks, spend all my money, have racing thoughts or hallucinations?
Wow, I did not think of that!
Personally, I can only CHOOSE not to have suicidal thoughts when I am on the right dose of meds, am eating well and taking care of myself. It takes work to get to a point where I can decide that today I will be happy. I am grateful now that the hard work is paying off.
Without medication and therapy, I can't make that choice. I imagine it would only be worse for someone with bipolar whose moods can be so extreme from one minute to the next.
Sorry Dad for picking on you for blog content(!), but I thought it was important to share this story as another step closer to understanding, acceptance and compassion surrounding all types of mental illness.
I hope this post motivates people to get the right information. If you know someone with a mental illness, don't assume or take on old school views. Get out there and learn current information about their illness. This will show you care and are trying to understand. The effort will be appreciated.
Yours fighting the good fight,
Mummy in Disguise
xoxo
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