We shouldn't allow mental health issues to fool us. During psychotic episodes or deep depression, we believe there is no hope, no other direction other than- downhill. Perhaps it's more an absence of hope and any feeling of recovery that is the core of the problem?
Time is my answer. Even with the absence of hope, time seems to be the answer. Time allows us to regroup, get things into a better perspective not to mention the mind returning to some level of normality.
My ritual is to visit a park. My lovely wife knows this and also knows I'll be safe. I watch, keen focus on my surrounds, my mini foxy frolicking in the bushes, nose penetrating to seek out the smells. A wedgetail twitching her tail, magpie songs pierce the silence and chase that crow away.
It rains, soon the gum tree weeps like we all do, people begin to run for shelter, I wonder why umbrellas are less popular now? Orchards droop in the breeze and an old man digs in the community before garden, rain to him is irrelevant.
I walk, a stranger smiled at me, gives me hope. A toddler runs away from her mother...toward a road, I stop him, mum grateful, I'm feeling better. An elderly neighbour widowed for 15 years prunes her cherished red roses, I ask her for one, she cuts it and she asks who's it for? Then I give it to her.
I return to the home I just built. I'm kick started. We enjoy a coffee, talk about my 45 minute park visit, all that beauty...then return to my shed. I realised our chat didn't include my depressive period, the reason for my walk.
Resilience through the use of time and distraction. Life is amazing, much more amazing than 2 hours ago...
TonyWK
