I’m kind of a weird guy. I don’t fit it many circles. I’m not a sportsman; I have no coordination what-so-ever. I wasn’t the last person picked for the team; teams would go with odd numbered just to make sure I wasn’t playing. I don’t have many friends. I’ve got quirks galore. My words often don’t meet the intentions of my brain. I have mental issues that I will never understand and believe me, most other people don’t either. Heck, most people don’t care to try. I’m kind of a nerd. I’m into Star Wars and Star Trek. I’ve been known to watch the occasional wrestling match. I’m just a different person … and you know what, that’s OK. It’s OK to be different. It’s OK to be the odd man/woman out. It’s OK to not have 2K friends on Face Book. It’s OK that you have mental issues. Mental Health America tells us that in adulthood, 19.86% of people suffer from a mental illness, comparable to around 50 million Americans. 4.91% of people suffer from a serious mental illness. Don’t give in to the hype; be who you want to be. Let your freak flag fly, so-to-speak. I do, and I love who I am … most of the time.
I’ve been asked why I give out so much personal info about myself. It’s simple, I don’t care what most people think of me. Most people suck. “Don’t let someone’s limited view limit you” Gabbie Douglas. I have been diagnosed with a slew of mental health issues to include bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, severe depression, PTSD and alcoholism. I say all this because there are a lot of people out there who are scared, embarrassed and ashamed of their diagnosis or of their differences too the outside world. If you are one of those people don’t be embarrassed, be proud. You’ve made it this far and you can make it even farther. I don’t like the idea of “One day at a time.” I like to say “one minute at a time.” 60 seconds. That’s all you have to do is make it for 60 seconds. You can do it; I believe in you. Set a goal every day … something you want to accomplish and do it. Even if it’s as simple as making the bed. Some people struggle to even make it that far. It’s OK. There are days I’ve slept for 18 hours and get nothing accomplished. It’s OK. Those who know … know. Those who don’t can judge all they want. Let the haters hate. Be who you are. Don’t aspire to be what others want you to be … be who you are destined to be.
References:
Adult Data 2020, (n.d.) Mental Health America, https://mhanational.org/issues/2022/mental-health-america-adult-data#:~:text=Adult%20Prevalence%20of%20Mental%20Illness%20(AMI)%202022&text=19.86%25%20of%20adults%20are%20experiencing,experiencing%20a%20severe%20mental%20illness.
SAS 