Mental Health Focus

Creating Conversations

Canadian Youtuber Matt Santoro who has over has over 5 Million subscribers and just over a Billion views on his channel just released a powerful short film about mental health and his experience with depression. It is eye opening, at times heavy but needed as we fight the stigma attached to mental health. View it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpUf7N44xOY

Let’s continue the conversation! Connect with those who are your support system or do something kind for someone, even something like a smile can help turn someone's day around.

But above all else take care of yourself. Please recognize when you may need help and reach out. Friends, family or local metal health services they want to help and can listen when it feels dark.  Mental illness can seem lonely but you are never alone and please Always Keep Fighting.

Suicide Awareness Day 

Suicide is a heavy word often followed by a tale of suffering and loss. Affecting millions in a plethora of different ways knowing not of race, religion or age.

Mental illness can touch anyone. Suicide is only a small facet of mental illness.

With the increased awareness of mental illness more people are sharing their struggles, detailing how their common passion and the friends they have made have helped them positively cope with a variety of ailments  both physical and mental in nature.

Suicide awareness day (yesterday) and mental health week just past. Social media is great at moving causes across the globe in record time. By the use of hashtags (#) people can easily post on and search for a common subject or cause.

For Example CW's show Supernatural lead, Jared Padalecki started a global movement entitled Always Keep Fighting (#AKF) in hopes to raise awareness for mental health. He revealed his own struggle with depression and encouraged others to seek help and foster compassion.

People  are banding together to show others who may be suffering silently that they are in fact not alone. Encouraged to share their stories and inspired by others struggles many people often find life long friends and healing in sharing their story and participating in a fandom.

When people band together a connection is created and a bond more like family surfaces. Giving some individuals a purpose and connection to others, a place to belong. Fandoms can change lives!

PS. I know many people say its going to get better, and when faced with impending darkness its really hard work through the distorted thoughts of depression, anxiety etc. But know that you are NEVER alone and there are family and friends-whether they be right beside you physically or able to connect via the internet-that love you for you.

See you tomorrow,

W.C. Alex Lightwood