May is Mental Health Awareness Month and this has a special place in my heart as my regular followers know. I am the mother of children living with mental health challenges and I know first hand what this does to the individual living with the disorder and their family who would love them no matter what. Mental Health Disorders are invisible disabilities that most can’t even imagine how it impacts the thoughts that go through their heads. Often those suffering have no idea that they are even battling in the moment and those around them deal with the consequences. Society has labeled these battling with these disorders and made them out to be monsters or crazy, which then feeds the negative thoughts already tearing the sufferer apart from the inside. They want to just be “normal” and when they are constantly told they can’t be they often get discouraged. Society puts on the pressure and the result becomes rages, manic episodes, suicide, among other destructive results. Why can’t we get these suffering the proper help and stop stigmatizing them?  

Can we take a bit of time this month of awareness and find out how we can all do our part to help and share awareness.  Educate yourself a bit this month and try to understand what these battling are going through instead of hiding them and being ashamed if you have family members.  The biggest thing these people need to be surrounded with are positive thoughts and lots of support.  Show them that people do care about them and that there are people willing to listen.