Get Talking

For a few weeks now, I’ve felt the need to write and talk to whoever is reading. I’ve been up and down in a BIG way. CBD oil is working brilliantly, but sometimes there are days when I feel like nothing in the world will work. Then I feel hopeless. That’s why I don’t write every week, because focussing on depression isn’t a nice thing, and fortunately I’m not depressed every week just in time to write a new blog. I couldn’t live like that. However, to everybody who has read some entries and reacted to them, (or not), people being there to just send me some positivity or asking if “I’m alright”, I appreciate that I am able to talk about how down I’ve been, or how crap my mental health is. Being able to do that and listening to you has saved my life in more ways than you can imagine.

Unfortunately, as I’ve talked about in previous posts, suicide is rife within the GRT community. Just after Christmas, I found out that a fellow activist had passed away over Christmas. I didn’t know them personally but admired their passion for equality when I worked with them. I understood the burden that they carried and pressures, discrimination and hostility they must have faced from people from all sides of the political arena. The sad thing was when I first found out they had passed away, my first thought was that I hoped that they didn’t take their own life as they were only young. It hit me really hard when I realised that when I hear of a GRT person’s death, the first thing I think of is suicide. I mean, I was RELIVED to hear this person died of natural causes. That is how often I hear of a person’s suicide.

When the numbers and stats tell you that suicide is the biggest killer of GRT people, these days it is hard not to believe it. That is a horrible thing.

So, this Thursday is ‘Time to Talk Day‘ and the message is simple.

Talking about your mental health is important. Whatever way you do it. Even if it is just letting your friends and family know that they can talk to you when they’re going through hard times with their mental health, or challenging the stigma and perception that people struggling with mental illness are ‘weak’ or should just ‘get out more’. The world has become more open and supportive, so keep it going for you and yours and it honestly can save a life.

It has mine.

Take care of each other x