There are so many things that are important for someone to live well. Some of them are pretty basic: food, water, shelter; but others aren't as emphasized as they should be. Staying healthy and safe, interpersonal skills, relaxation, self-maintenance, mental health management, and how to care for yourself first.
When I was in high school, they loved to teach us about our futures. They taught us how to write and submit a resume or a school application. They taught us computer skills and how to formally debate a topic. They taught us how to solve equations and play volleyball. Now, I know how important some of these are, and for some people, these skills have been vital in fulfilling their personal goals and moving forward in their lives. Unfortunately for me, none of these really came in handy, and none of them helped to save my life. 6 years ago, I graduated high school and moved across the country for university. I had all the academic background a teenager could want, but I had no idea how to take care of myself. After two months, the following had happened: I stopped going to church because I didn't have the energy to get out of bed, I didn't eat because I was too scared to go into the cafeteria, I stopped going to classes because I couldn't stay awake and couldn't retain information anymore, I slept through a mid-term because I was too exhausted to function, I started scratching at my arm until it bled to deal with the mental torment I was going through. Eventually, I started hearing voices, and those voices weren't too fond of me. The voices started to ease off after I was put on antidepressants and spent a week on a pediatric psychiatric ward at the local hospital, but it wasn't enough. I was never taught how to take care of myself, and eventually, I tried to kill myself. I'm doing better now, 6 years later, and the voices went away a long long time ago, but mental illnesses don't go away, and it's a battle every day to keep the depression from pulling me down again. I don't know if having learned about mental health and putting myself first would have made a difference, but I like to believe that it would have. I'm starting this blog because I think it's important for everyone to understand themselves a little more, and know what to do when they need help. This isn't just help with mental health problems, it's also physical health, life skills like home maintenance, and ways to help others stay safe when they need help from you. Nothing is more frightening and frustrating than being unable to do anything when you know something needs to be done. Sometimes it's clearing an airway when someone is choking, or knowing when to call someone else for help, or even something as simple as unclogging a toilet (believe me, that is REALLY frustrating when you only have one bathroom). I don't want other people to go through what I went through. I know I can't fix everything and can't help everyone, but I'd like to at least make a tiny difference in the life of one person. That's enough for me.
2 Comments
Sara Comish
3/12/2016 01:16:41 pm
Lovely work, so well written, and completely genuine. Thank you. And a very important point. I totally agree that we don't do enough to prepare people for real life.
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3/12/2016 02:27:21 pm
I think it's great that you started this blog. I know starting mine helped me to work through a lot of things that were constantly running through my head, and I hope yours is as helpful to you as mine has been for me.
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AuthorA volunteer. A dancer. A teacher. An observer. Archives
November 2016
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