What kind of people suffer from mental health issues?  What do they look like?  What do they wear?  How do they act?  Would you recognize  someone who suffers from mental health issues?

Did you know 100% of people encounter or have experience with mental health issues every day?  That means everyone.  Everyone has been sad.  Everyone had been depressed, or anxious, or worried about something so much that they felt sick, or sweaty, and everyone at some point will either know someone or be the someone that questions their existence and struggles with that.

On Tuesday nights at the ACH, they have bingo for all of the patients that can come off ward, and that stay overnight.  Parents come, nurses, caregivers, etc. and sit with the kids while they play.  The prizes are amazing, and in the 1.5 hours they play, they manage to give almost every patient a prize.  Anyone can play, but only patients can win.  Every Tuesday night the mental health unit joins in the fun, but they’re usually late.  It always seems to take extra time to gather everyone up, and make the trek to the cafeteria.  The lady on the mic announces “Hey, lets welcome the mental health kids”.  It’s quite funny actually.  I’m not sure what the people expect to see, but the parents hold their kids a little closer, everyone turns and looks, and all of the kids come and join in.  I was joking with my daughter one night, and said the kids should drag their legs, drool, and start beating up on each other or screeching.  We had a good laugh about it.

I really think that is what people think.  People with mental health look strange or scary, are unpredictable, and you never know what they’re going to do.  On the contrary really.  People with mental health issues look just like you and me.  They are.  Just you. Just me.

The thing I admire a lot about the mental health kids is that they get to work really hard on discovering who they are.  They are the kids watching Dr. Who, coloring their hair bright colors, wearing teenage back packs with teddy bears, sporting super hero logos, painting their faces, doing a spontaneous dances, cos-playing and so much more.  Do you ever feel like some days you should just be wearing a cape?  I do.  I wonder what people would say if I did?  Truth be told, I’m chicken.  I know how harsh people and they’re judgements can be.  And then what?  Sadness.  Depression.  The inability to experience life as I want it to be.

There’s another person I admire – my fiancé.  He wears Mr. Potato Head t-shirts, and converse running shoes – a different color on each foot.  He breaks in to spontaneous dance in the middle of a subway station, just because a good song is playing.  He also wears a pin on his lapel each day, to support something he feels passionate about that day.  He loves with an open heart, and does not ever judge.  I wish we could all be like that.  Wear different colored shoes.  Sing happy songs.  Love passionately, without judgement.  Perhaps then there would not be any mental health issues at all, because we’d love each other so much.  Can you imagine a world like that?