I’ve just discovered that you can use tags so people can find your blog a lot easier! Ha! Awesome!
Anyway, today (October 10th) is World Mental Health Day. I knew I wanted to do something for this but wasn’t 100% sure what… When my friend Pantelina posted this blog post and video about stigma it some what inspired me to write on here (her blog post can be found here by the way: http://pantelinasjourney.blogspot.gr/2015/10/world-mental-health-day-iamstigmafree_9.html) a little out of schedule but I will be doing another post Monday too 🙂
One point that Pantelina made which jumped out at me was discrimination in the work place; If somebody you were looking to hire told you that they had depression on an anxiety disorder it’s very easy to immediately think of negatives; panic attacks or very low moods. These conditions can have some positives though. These are of course very sweeping statements but I’ve often found that people with these particular conditions tend to be very empathetic and will take the time to listen and understand another’s problems, because they know what it is like to worry indefinitely or feel that there is no way forward. In a world that is so fast paced, cut throat and greedy I think that these are characteristics to be celebrated! A lot of, so called, normal people certainly lack empathy!
I’ve also met a lot of people with depression and anxiety who are fantastic in creative fields such as art. People who are depressed tend to find a creative outlet (be that art, poetry etc) as a means of expressing what is going on inside their heads. Those with anxiety disorders can be perfectionists and like to do things correctly down to the finest details, again meaning they can produce wonderful things. To link this back to drifting, a person with these character traits can produce a beautiful machine and it will be something that they have made that the world can admire.
Stigma can also be self inflicted. When I started medication I was hoping that it would turn me into a ‘normal’ extroverted confident person. It doesn’t, but if it had done then I would have lost a part of myself. The medication is simply there to help you cope, they’re a hormone stabiliser, they won’t change you and that’s a good thing. Celebrate who you are for your ‘flaws’ because they make you unique. If we were all cookie cutter perfect people the world would be a terribly boring place!
With that little essay over I have a new drift car to show you on Monday.
Speak to you soon!
