How Are You?
Hello there! You haven’t heard about me for a while ’cause I have had a little break. Somehow, I didn’t feel like writing and needed this. However now I’m getting the inspiration back and wanted to write a bit about mental health. The 10th of October is the World Mental Health day. Also, the Finnish Association for Mental health has a campaign around this important date, and we planned the creative idea together with Antti. Below you can see the ads, which are in Finnish, but when translated they ask, ”How are you?”
As simple the question is at the same time it’s probably one of the most important questions in the world. It’s genius in fact. If we would be asking that question truly, we could heal so many problems. Caring about each other and discussion is the solution that could dramatically change the sad numbers of suicides and social exclusion.
I can open up myself. Last 1,5 years have been seriously tough. Being a freelancer has been much harder than I thought. I have stood so much uncertainty that I don’t even get how I do it. Well, probably I have got a lot of new wrinkles and my teeth are seriously fucked up because of all the scrunching at night! I have done so much work to actually get some work that it is totally a crazy (wo)man’s job. The beginning is the hardest they say – touché!
What is challenging with mental health is the unbalance, at least with me. I think creativity and craziness go hand in hand, and I have this thing that my feelings can go strongly up and down together with my problems. Yesterday I was a world changing, unstoppable winner, and a star that will never fade – today I might be a numb zero. It’s very demanding. Sometimes I have googled the diagnosis of a manic-depressive. One thing is comforting, though! This world. It’s so amazing that how would you never give up!
Even the feeling of giving up has been there. When the depression is bad, nothing works. Why the feelings always go over ration? Why it’s impossible to cheer up yourself with the rational reasons? Why mind control is so difficult?
I have created some survival skills though: Sports, nature, a glass of water or jump into the sea (water is scientifically proofed to be good for your mental health), chocolate, good books that you can identify yourself with. Try to do at least something, go to the movies to see a comedy. Maybe even a temporary surrender can help to breathe deep until you’re ready to conquer your life back again!
Lately, I have even “prayed or wished hard” for a miracle, that things would ease up. I like talking aloud in general, especially when I’m cleaning! That’s what I do, and cleaning is therapeutic! It helps when I think what I am grateful for: the health of the close people and my own. I’m grateful to see how the new day arrives and ends, like the seasons too. I’m grateful that by age I have learned to accept the life as it is and I’m not afraid of death anymore. If something, that brings peace. When I set the perspective and check out the world problems… nothing compares to that. After cradling yourself for a while, it’s always possible to find back to the happy life again. Thank god!
A well-balanced life would be quite sweet. But we can’t do that unless we help each other out. Communications is the key to everything. We should care more for each other and genuinely ask the question and be able to answer honestly too. How many people really know how are you and do you know about them? It’s not weakness to tell about problems, that’s the only way to survive. Besides vulnerable people are much more approachable than those perfect ones. I hope the young generations can end the culture of silence and be open about their mental health.
So, How Are You?
