Blogging is about community. It’s about sharing and interacting and telling our stories. It’s about friendship and honesty and all that’s good about people meeting people. Blogging is about change, about language launched into action. It’s about hope, about faith, and sometimes even about love.
So it’s happened in the past week, since I’ve been recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month, two bloggers have visited my site, two women who have fabulous and important blogs about mental health that put Ghandi’s imperative into action—they are “the change” many “want to see in the world.”
Sandy Sue’s “A Mind Divided” explores what it means to live with bipolar disorder and uses mixed media art to image its message of hope in the midst of struggle. Just the other day Sandy wrote about the poverty that often accompanies mental illness, about having to choose between meals and medication, since sometimes she can’t afford both. She rightly suggests that those who say money can’t buy happiness . . .
. . . aren’t considering those of us who walk to the grocery store when we don’t have enough money to get gas for the car. Or who simply stay home, because funds for the groceries aren’t there, either.
Reminding us that “in all the ways that matter, money does buy happiness,” Sandy focuses a light on an ugly underside of mental illness, the poverty that often prevents patients, no longer able to work, from getting the medications they need and sometimes even food to eat.
However, “Suicide Ripple” delivers an even more sobering message—that, indeed, some don’t live long enough to go without medication or become hungry, because a hard, cold fact remains: mental illness kills. Begun by the friend of a bipolar-diagnosed woman, who committed suicide in January of this year, “Suicide Ripple” is about
the effects such a suicide has on a family, a community, even people who didn’t know the person who completed suicide. This one act by one individual causes a ripple effect that can reach hundreds of people all over the country, even the world.
The writer hopes her blog will prevent others from ending their lives, showing the impact such deaths have on loved ones left behind, as well as comfort the survivors themselves, creating a community of support.
The bottom line is this—social media has massive impact, affects the way we think about ourselves and the communities we’re part of. As such, blogs should be used to lessen isolation, loneliness, depression and despair. If blogging can create the very thing so many suicide victims lack, the very thing that drives them to end their lives and hurt the ones they love, if blogs can build community, create caring environments where sharing can be safely and anonymously undertaken, then more mental health professions should exploit this potential, and many more who live with mental illness should tell their stories, talk about their struggles, share the hope and joy, peace and comfort that come with recovery.
May more of us use our blogs to affect change. As Ghandi so wisely advised, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Very well done Kathy
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Thank you so much!
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Nicely said Kathy. Blogs do have that power. I’ve already lead one student to your blog when he expressed concern about his mental health. Keep up the amazing work.
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Thanks so much for sharing info about my blog, Lisa! I hope your student is doing okay. And I hope you’re feeling better too, my friend——————–
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The student kind of disappeared, but I don’t think it was related (more like he realized he couldn’t pass so why bother coming). I am actually feeling a little better. I got some good feedback from some Comp students and I’ve realized that all I can do is my best. If the students can’t make the same effort, that’s their problem, not mine.
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That’s right, Lisa! You can only do what you can do. Hang in there, my friend–and in the meantime happy Mothers’ Day!
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Thank you, Kathy!!!!
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You are so welcome! I hope you get some traffic. Your blog deserves it! Thanks for the great writing you are doing!
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Thank you, my new friend.
My therapist told me this week that she will start referring her clients to my blog. I’m grateful to be part of the change.
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You are so welcome, Sandy! You are writing and collaging some great stuff. I love your blog. I hope you do well and feel good about the work you’re creating.
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Your bottom right is poignant, and I love how people like you are using social media to a great effect. Not only are you reaching out to all with mental illness, you are educating the masses about what it’s like to live with one.
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Thanks, Deanna! Blogging is an important way to begin to change the world for the better! I’m glad you think it’s working. Hope you have a great weekend————————-
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Another excellent post.
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Thanks so much, Charles!
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Thanks for sharing these blogs. It’s exciting to see what powerful things written words can accomplish!
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Yes, isn’t it amazing the impact words can have! Hope you have a great weekend in Nashville—————-
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Blogging has been an amazingly positive experience for me…thanks for putting forth this idea, Kathy!
Hugs,
Wendy
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Blogging has had a massive impact on my life–and all for the better. Glad to hear it has affected you the same way, Wendy!
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You have expressed beautifully everything I hope to be true about the power of blogging and reaching out to people. I feel as if I have had my head up my backside this last couple of days but I am finding now that when I get back to this medium my senses soar within minutes of reading. It really is very powerful. And I have just spent ages reading the blogs you linked to today so it is working, working, working! Thanks for a great post Kathy and yesterday’s too was just superb.
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Oh, that’s great, Penny. Both blogs are fairly young, but really important and deserve positive support. Thanks so much for visiting them!
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PS I think this should have been freshly pressed!
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Ah, thank you! You’re a sweety!
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Yes, yes, bravo! I’m hoping more people read my blog and start a stovetop popcorn revolution!
I kid, of course. This is a great thing you’re doing…keep up the good work.
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Stovetop popcorn revolution, indeed. To hell with the microwave crap. Read “Mark my Word” to learn more about it!
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Beautifully said! I’m so glad you found my blog because now I can enjoy yours.
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Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you’ll come back again, and Happy Mothers’ Day to you————
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Sandy Naiman is another woman whose blog on mental and emotional health, “Coming Out Crazy”, you may want to investigate. Here’s the link: http://blogs.psychcentral.com/coming-out-crazy.
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Thanks so much for the link to this blog! I love the title! I will definitely check it out! Hope you have a great week!
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