"Never give up on someone with a mental illness. When "I" is replaced by "We", illness becomes wellness." Shannon Alder.

I only found this quotation recently. It just made so much sense and was so simple. Maybe many Moodscopers have read this before but the simple message deserves to be repeated.

For me it was not others giving on up on me, it was me giving up on me as I felt I was so isolated so alone that no one understood that no one cared that no one got me. I never felt part of a 'we' even though I knew there were people who loved me and cared for me.

The other thing that the quote is telling me, is to ask for help, ask to be part of that 'we'. Often when I was sick I did not know that I needed assistance or I had no idea what sort of help I needed.

Often we want to help people but we don't know what they need or how we can do something practical and beneficial.

Years ago when my children were small, and I was very low, a friend arrived on my doorstep with a homemade casserole. She told me she had no idea what I was going through but she thought a home cooked meal would be useful. She was so right. I felt so cared for and I knew I could feed my family that night without worrying about what I was going to cook.

I think as a community if we can focus on the wellness and the part we can play in being there for some one who is not well, it could make such a difference. It could transform a quotation into something practical.

I know that is not that simple and if you are having a rough time you may think I don't realise how complex things can be.

What can you do to help yourself or others go from illness to wellness?

Maybe you disagree with the quotation-why?

Do you find it hard to ask for help or offer help?

Leah

A Moodscope member