I’d like to cover off an issue that has developed over the last couple of months, two reasons. Firstly I’d like to cover off a personal message from my self and secondly a plea from myself regarding a subject that is dear to my heart.
So without further ado, let’s get going.
As most of you know who receive these e mails they come out weekly and they cover a multitude of subjects, not just about treatment, but topics and subjects that are dear to my heart and run alongside and compliment what I do in Physical Therapy. In the main the communication is very well received with a very high number of “opens” and “reads”, I also get every week some fabulous comments and observations, I just love the interaction, it makes the task of writing and putting together of the e mails so much more worthwhile, knowing they are received so welcomely and help to support my patients.
So firstly what I’d like to do is apologise for the lack of e mails, for nearly two months now and as far as I’m concerned not acceptable. Going from weekly to nothing, and knowing how my patients enjoy the e mails, is tantamount to being rude. So I apologise for the long gap and can ensure you this won’t occur again, what is going to happen though, is that they are going to go to every fortnight. Publishing a weekly e mail, from scratch, is a big task and target that I had unreasonably set myself. Fortnightly is more realistic and gives me lots of time to stick to the schedule and also to make the topics relevant, interesting and hopefully a bit of fun and an easy read.
Over many, many years I have suffered with mental health issues and have dealt with it in a way that no one would ever know what was going on, hiding my true feelings, my actions and tucking away any behaviours that may have given the game away, then being on my own and letting the suffering out. Over this time I became a master at being able to carry this out, a true Chameleon.
It has affected every nook and cranny of my life: my career, home life, friendships, love life and has stopped me living my life to the full and simply having fun. The sad fact is that in all this time I never told anyone or went to seek any help, coping on my own and thinking I was doing ok. In reality the situation and events around me were slowly getting worse but in my world it was all ok.
Then a couple of months ago a number of events all happened at the same time, a perfect storm, and I was in danger of yet again losing a relationship that in a short space of time has come to mean so much to me. Past and learned behaviour would have meant that I just walk away, but this time I was not allowed to. So I sought some help, seeking out, what looked like on a website, someone who could help. Boy how lucky I was, what I resource I found. Over the last two months I have been having weekly sessions and I can honestly say I really did not believe how the change could be so dramatic. I won’t go into the detail of the work I have done but sitting here now seven weeks later, I can honestly say that I’ve never been so happy, so looking forward to the future, so grounded and more in control of my life than I think I have ever been. How lucky am I.
I know that I am lucky to have the resources around me to be able to do this, the finances, the time, the support of someone very special and lastly the support of the best friend I have ever had. A lot of people who are suffering don’t even have one of those factors. How lucky am I …… again!
I’m not going to keep delving into all of the above, as I said earlier I am not looking for plaudits, slaps on the back, “great job’s” or even wanting anyone to comment. The point of this e mail is two fold. Firstly to apologise to my patients for not continuing the support that I have given previously, rude and will end immediately.
Secondly, I have a privileged position, I have an audience with whom I can engage and hopefully enrich their lives. If this e mail only finds one ear that needs help and makes a difference, how brilliant is that! Mental Health in this country is a massive issue with millions suffering in silence, needlessly suffering. Under pressure and stress just from life itself with little or no support.
Given all of that, I hope that if you do struggle or if you know someone who does struggle, please please please please please don’t maintain a silence, use this article as a catalyst for change. Just talk to anyone, seek help, the first word is the hardest from then on in it just gets easier, get out and walk, feel the air, life can be just such a magical gift and we all need to feel that and to be appreciated, we all have so much to give. If no one else is available pick up the phone to me, I know what the change is like, how enlightening it can be, change your life and bring back the fun. Don’t be alone, don’t hide it, just talk.
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