On February 12th, On Freedom Road‘s author Donna Carrick will be supporting the Bell Let’s Talk Initiative.
This Initiative is long overdue. I truly hope Bell Canada will sponsor it on an annual basis and keep the lines of communication open for everyone who has been touched by Mental Illness.
Having lost a beloved sister to suicide in 1977, I spent many years dogged by bouts of chronic depression and survivor’s guilt, a sense of despair so deeply rooted it threatened to dominate my life.
It was only when I learned to speak freely about these issues that they finally lost their grip on me.
Now that “things are better”, to coin the popular phrase, I’d like to share “5 Tips for a Healthy Mind”, things I wish I’d known when I was younger:
1- Keep busy.
Positive activity of any kind has a healing power that should never be under-rated.
I write, knit, work, spend time having fun with my family, swim… There is always SOMETHING I can do to blast through the blues.
2- Connect with Others.
A growing number of people are beginning to make the case for having Internet access recognised as a “Basic Human Right”. I agree.
But for those who don’t have the ability to connect on-line, there are church groups, support groups, neighbours, friends, family.
The key is to remain open — to speak freely. Mental Illness is not a crime, nor is it anything to be ashamed of.
Reach out. People will care.
And above all, if you find yourself in crisis get help! You can dial 911 if unsure where else to turn, or contact your family doctor or closest clinic. Any health care professional will be able to direct you to someone who can help.
3- Fine tune your Self-Talk.
The way we speak to ourselves has an imeasurable impact of the way we’ll see ourselves. If we take steps to modify our inner dialogue, to ensure we “speak” to ourselves with the same respect we hope to show others, this will go a long way toward healing our minds.
4- Be generous.
As my mother used to say, nothing will take your mind off your troubles quite as effectively as trying to help others.
We do not exist in a void. There are a myriad of great, legitimate causes out there.
Choose one and make a difference. It doesn’t have to cost money. You can help by simply spreading the word, or offering whatever assistance is needed.
5- Pay attention to others.
Always remember, every single day, to ask at least one other person how THEY are feeling, and really LISTEN to the answer.
This one is self-explanatory. It’s a sure-fire way to remind ourselves that we are not alone.
I’ll be there on February 12, joining Bell on Twitter for the #BellLetsTalk Day.
Hope you’ll be there too!
Be sure to follow @Bell_LetsTalk on Twitter. For every tweet using the hash tag #BellLetsTalk Bell will donate 5 cents to mental health research in Canada!
