Breaking the Code of Silence

I’m currently running a series of posts dedicated to fighting the stigma surrounding mental health, by bringing it out into the open and encouraging discussion of subjects usually associated with shame, embarrassment and fear.

Most people’s lives will be touched by mental illness in one form or another, whether it’s through a personal problem, that of a family member, or simply being caught up in the repercussions of someone else’s suffering. Mental illness is common and widespread, just like the ignorance surrounding it. It’s time to educate and inform, to have those difficult conversations, and to bring into the light the issues that so many feel they have to hide.

I’m committing myself to this cause by bringing my personal experiences to the page. Through my decision to no longer be silenced, I’m taking ownership of those experiences. Instead of being a victim, I’m using them to encourage openness and education. It’s a difficult task – the incidents are not easy to write about, and have been barely acknowledged and rarely discussed among those involved. I hope I don’t cause hardship to my family by bringing them into the open.

For anyone wishing to guest post on this series, please contact me by email with your post attached (in a Word or text file). I will provide a link back to your blog at the bottom of the post, or respect your wish to remain anonymous should you so choose. You can find my email address on the Get In Touch page.

In the series so far:

• The Intruder
• Desperation in the City of Dreaming Spires
• Do something that makes a difference today…
• Living with Borderline Personality Disorder
  
• Ungrateful Bitch (Part 1)
• Stigma is still the biggest hurdle to treating depression
• How I managed to stop self-injuring and get on with my life
• Ungrateful Bitch (Part 2)
• Broken Light – A photography collective
• Kids in crisis – the repercussions of abuse
• Canadian Youth and Suicide – an uncomfortable truth
• Stigma-Smashing, One by One – Adventures in Expatland
• Ungrateful Bitch (Part 3)
• 10 Things Not To Say To A Depressed Person – Noch Noch via Expat Women
• The person behind the disorder – Jackie Nourse
• Vanishing Point – losing my mind to anorexia
• Borderline Personality Disorder – Coming in from the Cold – Black Dog Tribe

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All the posts will be linking up with the Love All Blogs Mental Health Blog Hop.

Promoting BlackDogTribe