Call me crazy, seeing as this page belongs to a crazy lady, but I had a dream last night that could possibly just help those who do not suffer from any kind of mental health issue understand that those of us who do suffer cannot just stop. We cannot just think positively, get over it (do you really think we would go for years feeling so sad/anxious that it physically hurt if we could just flick a switch to make it stop) and get on with our life’s.

So many of my friends/family tell me to “stop” “think about less fortunate people!” And the biggest one “don’t worry” and to be quite honest, I feel a little worse about myself whenever I hear those words. So if you know someone who is suffering, AVOID AVOID AVOID saying anything like that. Unfortunately you are not helping. I would start by giving them a hug (99% of us crazies are huge huggle bunnies).

Now, back to the point about someone farting in a lift, it’s a lot like having a mental illness. Picture yourself at the very back of a very busy lift, there are 24 floors and you are getting off at the very top… Then the big sweaty guy in front of you just goes ahead and let’s one off. You hear it but you don’t want to smell it…do you have a choice?? No, not really. The smell engulfs you. Your stomach turns, eyes water and it’s horrendous. Just like if depression or anxiety hits, we sometimes hear or see what sets it off and we do NOT want to experience it, but do we have a choice?? No, not really. It just takes over. And you feel the effect all over your body, not just your noggin.

You are still standing in the back of the lift, inhaling and surrounded by the toxic gas that the lovely man in front of you let out. Do you say anything? Probably not, you pretend that nothing has happened, as is everyone else in the lift is doing. You pretend that everything is hunkydory and you are not dying a little inside, you probably won’t mention the incident until later, if at all.

Many of us hold it together when we are with people, we don’t mention it and try not to show that anything is wrong, heck, we may be the happiest person in your social group. This does not mean that we are ok. We are just really good actors, so we don’t worry anyone else. Big hearts and all :)

So next time you are in a lift and someone farts, take a moment to empathise with those of us who have no control over our noggins. Getting over a mental health issue is much harder than getting over an normal illness/broken leg. Yes there are medications that help with the chemical imbalance in our brains but it’s not really a permanent cure. Sometimes the illness fades away, sometimes it gets talked away and sometimes it just stays there dormant and pops up occasionally to say “hi, I’m going to ruin your day :)”

A simple hug can sometimes make things seem a little better :) and I hope I have been able to give those of you lucky enough not to suffer from any kind of mental health issue a little insight to how our minds work. The person you love is still there, there are just some evil little hamsters tampering with the cogs in their head.