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Date: 10/18/2022
I wrote an opinion piece for this edition which I’ll probably run in a few weeks. But this week, it just didn’t feel right.
The article was about ageism and conversations regarding different generations and how they view each other. When I wrote it, the article felt relevant and was hitting home for me. But now it just feels trivial and petty.
I wish I could say I’m someone who doesn’t get caught up in trivialities, but I can be overtaken with the day-to-day little annoyances (and big annoyances) along with the best of them.
Tragedies always put life into perspective.
I do not want to get detailed in this column out of respect. But I do want to acknowledge a tremendous loss of a young person’s life in my hometown of Monson, and all the tremendous losses to suicide that occur annually – some 800,000 people.
As I write this, yesterday was World Mental Health Day – Oct. 10. There is nothing I can say in this column that would be as beneficial as citing the World Health Organization (WHO), which I will do below.
But what I will say is what many often reflect in social media posts – you matter. Every single person matters, has loved ones who care for them, has someone who relies on them, someone who needs them. The world is not better off without you – the world needs you. People who you may only be acquaintances with, near-strangers even, care.
Please do not give up.
You are not alone.
The WHO explains this global health crisis, “Many aspects of mental health have been challenged; and already before the [coronavirus] pandemic in 2019 an estimated one in eight people globally were living with a mental disorder. At the same time, the services, skills and funding available for mental health remain in short supply, and fall far below what is needed, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
“The [coronavirus] pandemic has created a global crisis for mental health, fueling short- and long-term stresses and undermining the mental health of millions. Estimates put the rise in both anxiety and depressive disorders at more than 25 percent during the first year of the [coronavirus] pandemic. At the same time, mental health services have been severely disrupted and the treatment gap for mental health conditions has widened.
“Growing social and economic inequalities, protracted conflicts, violence and public health emergencies affect whole populations, threatening progress towards improved well-being; a staggering 84 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced during 2021. We must deepen the value and commitment we give to mental health as individuals, communities and governments and match that value with more commitment, engagement and investment by all stakeholders, across all sectors. We must strengthen mental health care so that the full spectrum of mental health needs is met through a community-based network of accessible, affordable and quality services and supports.
“Stigma and discrimination continue to be a barrier to social inclusion and access to the right care; importantly, we can all play our part in increasing awareness about which preventive mental health interventions work and World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to do that collectively. We envision a world in which mental health is valued, promoted and protected; where everyone has an equal opportunity to enjoy mental health and to exercise their human rights; and where everyone can access the mental health care they need.”
Help is available. If you aren’t comfortable speaking with family, friends or cannot afford professional help, please call or text 988, the suicide and crisis lifeline, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.