As I write this entry, we are at the beginning of Mental Health Month, which is held in May. This year, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) has a theme of WhyCare?, and more information can be found here: https://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Awareness-Events/Why-Care
Of course, this theme has gotten me to thinking about why I care, so I wanted to discuss this in further detail today. There are so many reasons why I care, but I will highlight the ones that stand out to me on this day. Here they are:
I care because I lost my dad to suicide, and I wish that no other family has to go through what we did
I care because it breaks my heart to think of the suffering that my dad experienced, and I believe no one should suffer in that way
I care because I lost two cousins to suicide, and I wish that no other family has to experience that kind of loss
I care because I know how hard it was to find people who did care when my dad was sick, and that cannot continue
I care because I worry about the mental health of all of the suicide loss survivors in my family
I care because I worry about the mental health of our children
I care because I worry about the mental health of every human being
I care because I know that as fellow human beings we can do better when it comes to taking care of our mental health
I care because I know we have a lot of education and advocacy that needs to be done around mental health
I care because I know that mental health touches every other issue (homelessness, hunger, literacy, etc.) out there
I have listed 10 reasons that I care, but I could go on and on. Once you feel the impact of mental illness, it is hard to walk away from caring.
How about you? Why do you care? Whether it is May or not, it is important to reflect on why you care about mental health, because it helps guide you on what you can do to help.