If you've read my blog description for Find Your Light, you probably have a good idea of what my goals are for this blog: To provide unconditional support and understanding to those who have a mental illness and provide enlightenment and education to those who do not.
But why is it that this blog came to be, and what drives my compassion?
Throughout my personal fight with mental heath, my values have become much more pronounced within who I am- The most important of which being transparency. Up until very recently, I felt as though my mental illness was something I had to keep behind closed doors. I was ashamed to admit I had a mental illness because I was terrified of being judged and looked down upon, as so often we are. Of course to some degree, my worries were still valid- In fact, I have lost many people very recently upon their discovery of my illness. But what I now understand is that any person willing to pass judgement because of another's illness is merely uneducated and is not the type of person I'd like to associate myself with. I have not lost anyone because of my illness, but rather because they were okay with being ignorant. And please allow me to take a brief moment to clarify:
Ignorance is the lack of knowledge or information. I do not use this word with any sort of negative connotation, but rather, I use it for how it was meant to be used.
Being judged and spoken ill of on account of something that is out of your control is never pleasant, but I have come to accept that it is a part of life we cannot control. The people who have had, and who will have the most significant impact in my life are those who support me and whom are open with me. There is no room in this world for ignorance when it comes to any sort of illness.
My fight against mental health has been lengthy, and I still have far to go. I have done a good deal of healing thus far, though I know there is not a magical place called "Recovery"; There is "Remission", and being realistic about treatment has played a large role in where I find myself here today, with you.
Suffering from a mental illness feels like someone has turned off your light- You are not yourself, and life feels dark, cold and empty. Here, it is my mission to deliver to you self-practiced techniques and experiences that have helped me along the way. Soon, you will have access to articles written by others who have either inside or outside experiences with mental health, and hopefully these will provide you with alternative perspectives on select issues, tips and concerns.
Finally, it is my hope that, whatever your struggle, you find your light and learn that your mental illness does not define you. That there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Only once people begin taking a stand against Stigma, will it begin to dissipate.
We are in this fight together.
Alycia
