Maybe Not Today, Maybe Not Tomorrow

Can we level with each other?

I’m a very fortunate person. I have a family, a good core group of friends, a decent apartment and food in my fridge. Even better, people pay me to sing. Crazy, right?

Well, sometimes I feel crazy.

I know that’s not a kosher word to use, but I’m trying to level with you.

From a very young age, I’ve been identified as someone with anxiety issues. To be honest, I don’t like calling them issues because I know anxiety is directly linked to positive attributes and ‘issues’ sound negative to me. Having an overactive mind can lead to great things. Unfortunately it can also be self destructive.

There are times (sometimes an hour, sometimes a week or two or longer) my mind will not let me rest. I can make up almost anything in my head and even worse, I can make myself believe it. There are times when logic has absolutely no place in my world and the only way to get through the haze of it is to remember that I’ve dealt with it before, I’ll deal with it again and I know how to cope.

The point: Mental health issues don’t have a ‘look’ about them. They don’t have a face. If you need a face, use the picture at the top of this post. On the day and time it was taken, I was in the middle of an anxiety attack.

Partners for Mental Health recently launched Not Myself Today, a movement to transform mental health in Canada, on a personal, community and societal level. Today is the ‘Not Myself Today’ Day of Action with events happening in schools and workplaces across the country. I couldn’t be prouder to support this cause.

Visit their website to take the pledge and pin your mood to the national mood map. For you social nerds (said in the most loving way possible, as I am one too) they have done a great job on Facebook and Twitter as well. If you’re near Yonge Dundas square today, go visit the installation and pin your mood (and pick me up a purple button plsandthx).

Here are some ways to get involved and support the cause of mental health in Canada (via Not Myself Today):

• Support someone who is experiencing a mental health problem or illness
• Share your own experiences and stories around mental health
• Participate in local events, programs and activities that promote mental health
• Contact leaders or politicians to influence policies and regulations
• Volunteer for local mental health organizations
• Donate or raise funds to help transform the system

How are you feeling today?