"It Is A Wonderful Life" A classic movie about how all of our lives hold meaning and we are all here for a reason- and can makes a difference in the world. That sentiment is exactly what US-REP elect Dan Crenshaw said to comedian Pete Davidson this week after his suicidal thoughts were shared over Instagram.
I know that my life has meaning and I am here for a reason and I make a big difference in many people lives. Fortunately, especially with my chosen profession of geriatric social work, I touch people lives for the better on an almost daily basis. I would even venture to say that my presence on this earth has helped hundreds of people and possibly thousands. I am here with a purpose tenfold.
I recognize all the really small things that I do that influence the well being of others. I teach someone how to breathe in the Lord's love for them as a reminder that their breath is a way to create calm in the body when they feel off balance and need to restore themselves to sanity. Or I supply some simple language that someone uses to take care of themselves so no one does them any harm including his or herself. Maybe I connected someone with a great surgeon for a 2nd opinion and they will correct a painful problem when others failed to give them hope. Maybe I got someone to a care community by supporting their family to do the right thing even when it felt too hard to do. Maybe I urged someone to complete a required document like a durable power of attorney so their loved ones could help take care of them during a health care crisis. Since my recovery, I know that I insisted that someone suffering from depression get treatment and supported them through their process, I know one of my presentations touched many people in getting them to open their minds and hearts and look after themselves better. Something as simple as a hug could have made a difference to another person I knew. I change people's lives for the better all the time. Some people even view me as an inspirational person.
When I was sick over 10 years ago, my problem was not my attitude or not feeling appreciated in my life. My problem was that I worried myself sick. And no one warned me that it was dangerous to worry. But I broke my body. My body could no longer function normally. I had trouble sleeping. I could not concentrate and focus. I was not able to make simple decisions such as what to put in my shopping cart at the grocery store. My body became immobile and I did not know I could get well again. I even could not eat or bare to be touched. Moving was like pushing myself around in a concrete dress.
So we know that there are many kinds of depression. Some are triggered by life events associated with failure, shame and hopelessness. Others are more of a low grade feeling of melancholy and there are a dozen more types that we know about. The point to all of this is that people become interested in ending their life for many different reasons and No One Should ASSUME that it is a lack of purpose that is always the driving force to push someone over the edge. Maybe that is often the case in the movies, but life is not the movies. Life is much more complex and full of subtleties that come together to create a storm of hopelessness and panic.
I got well and I am happy to be here because I came back to myself 100 %. When I was sick, I slowly disappeared. Eventually I was in agony and no one could give me hope. For that matter, doctors hardly knew how to help me. Our entire medical community is still at a loss when it comes to diseases of the brain. That goes for all of them. Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, Autism, Schizophrenia, Epilepsy, Stroke, Addiction, Dementia, Cerebral Palsy, Bi-Polar, Migraine, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. These are diseases that live in the BRAIN. It is not a character flaw, a poor attitude or lack of purpose.
Neuroscience must become as valuable to be studied as is Cancer. Let's stop judging people who get diseases of the brain. There is no mind. All these diseases live in our brain. Would we judge someone for having arthritis, diabetes, kidney failure, or hypertension.? Of course not!
