Slice of Life
May is the month of so many memory making moments - Mother's Day, First Communions, Confirmations, Graduations, and the blooming of so many flowers. It also happens to be the month of mental health awareness.
As a longtime mom in crisis, much of our families crisis' were a result of mental health issues with a family member. While the journey is their story to tell one day - and I hope they do - we were on the rocky path alongside them.
When you are trying to navigate someone else's mental health challenges, and you don't have any experience with the issues that arise, it is scary and exhausting.
For many years I had no idea what exactly was going on, I just knew that things were very wrong on every level. I will never forget the day that a psychiatrist gave it all a name - Bipolar and Schizo-effective Disorders.
What a relief it was to have a diagnosis we could attribute to the bizarre and often dangerous behaviors our loved one exhibited, and we finally had a name to research.
We learned that none of us caused any of what was happening, and we could not cure it either. This lifted a burden off my shoulders, but the road remained rocky none-the-less.
If you are experiencing mental health issues, or someone you love is, please reach out to a Psychologist to help you and your family navigate through your trials. It is imperative that you have sound advice from someone, and preferably someone rooted in the Holy Trinity.
~ Karen ~
